n  -r  or-  f1 


4-V*  • 


THE 

AUGSBURG  CONFESSION, 

THE  FORMULA  OF 
GOVERNMENT  AND  DISCIPLINE, 


AND  THE 


CONSTITUTION 


OF  THE  GENERAL  SYNOD  OF  THE 
GELICAL  LUTHERAN ..  CHOR^mN 
UNITED  STATES' "OF  AMERICA 


OF  AMER] 

fT’P  3 

OF 


PHILADELPHIA: 

THE  LUTHERAN  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

1913 


Copyright,  1913, 


BY 

The  Lutheran  Publication  Society 


'  10**. 


THE  AUGSBURG  CONFESSION* 


DELIVERED  TO  THE  EMPEROR  CHARLES  V.,  AT 
THE  DIET  OF  AUGSBURG,  A.  D.  1530. 


[This  Translation  is  made  from  the  Latin  Editio  Princeps,  of 
1530-31,  the  authority  of  which,  equally  with  that  of  the  German 
Editio  Princeps,  surpasses  all  other  known  Editions.  It  has  been 
carefully  prepared  by  a  Joint  Committee  of  The  General  Synod,  The 
General  Council,  The  United  Synod  of  the  South,  and  The  Joint 
Synod  of  Ohio,  as  a  Common  Standard  of  The  Augsburg  Confes¬ 
sion  in  English.  The  words  in  brackets  are  inserted  from  the 
German  Editio  Princeps.] 


PREFACE. 


Most  Invincible  Emperor,  Caesar  Augustus,  most  Clem¬ 
ent  Lord : 

Inasmuch  as  Your  Imperial  Majesty  has  summoned  a 
Diet  of  the  Empire  here  at  Augsburg  to  deliberate  con¬ 
cerning  measures  against  the  Turk,  that  most  atrocious, 
hereditary  and  ancient  enemy  of  the  Christian  name  and 
religion,  in  what  way  effectually  to  withstand  his  furor 
and  assaults  by  strong  and  lasting  military  provision ;  and 
then  also  concerning  dissensions  in  the  matter  of  our  holy 

*With  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  the  Fathers,  the 
General  Synod  receives  and  holds  the  Canonical  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments  as  the  Word  of  God  and  the  only  in¬ 
fallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice;  and  it  receives  and  holds  the  Un¬ 
altered  Augsburg  Confession  as  a  correct  exhibition  of  the  faith 
and  doctrine  of  our  Church  as  founded  upon  the  Word.  [Consti¬ 
tution  of  the  General  Synod  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church 
in  the  United  States  as  adopted  in  1913.  See  Arts.  II  and  III.] 


4 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


religion  and  Christian  Faith,  that  in  this  matter  of  religion 
the  opinions  and  judgments  of  parties  might  be  heard 
in  each  other’s  presence,  and  considered  and  weighed 
among  ourselves  in  charity,  leniency  and  mutual  kindness, 
to  the  end  that  the  things  in  the  Scriptures  which  on  either 
side  have  been  differently  interpreted  or  misunderstood, 
being  corrected  and  laid  aside,  these  matters  may  be  set¬ 
tled  and  brought  back  to  one  perfect  truth  and  Christian 
concord,  that  for  the  future  one  pure  and  true  religion 
may  be  embraced  and  maintained  by  us,  that  as  we  all  serve 
and  do  battle  under  one  Christ,  so  we  may  be  able  also  to 
live  in  unity  and  concord  in  the  one  Christian  Church. 
And  inasmuch  as  we,  the  undersigned  Electors  and  Princes, 
with  others  joined  with  us,  have  been  called  to  the  aforesaid 
Diet,  the  same  as  the  other  Electors,  Princes  and  Estates, 
in  obedient  compliance  with  the  Imperial  mandate  we  have 
come  to  Augsburg,  and,  what  we  do  not  mean  to  say  as 
boasting,  we  were  among  the  first  to  be  here. 

Since  then  Your  Imperial  Majesty  caused  to  be  proposed 
to  the  Electors,  Princes  and  other  Estates  of  the  Empire, 
also  here  at  Augsburg  at  the  very  beginning  of  this  Diet, 
among  other  things,  that,  by  virtue  of  the  Imperial  Edict, 
the  several  Estates  of  the  Empire  should  present  their 
opinions  and  judgments  in  the  German  and  Latin  lan¬ 
guages,  after  due  deliberation,  answer  was  given  to  Your 
Imperial  Majesty,  on  the  ensuing  Wednesday,  that  on  the 
next  Friday  the  Articles  of  our  Confession  for  our  part 
would  be  presented. 

Wherefore,  in  obedience  to  Your  Imperial  Majesty’s 
wishes,  we  offer,  in  this  matter  of  religion,  the  Confession 
of  our  preachers  and  of  ourselves,  showing  what  manner 
of  doctrine  from  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  the  pure  Word 
of  God  has  been  up  to  this  time  set  forth  in  our  lands, 
dukedoms,  dominions  and  cities,  and  taught  in  our 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


5 


churches.  And  if  the  other  Electors,  Princes  and  Estates 
of  the  Empire  will  present  similar  writings,  to  wit,  in 
Latin  and  German,  according  to  the  said  Imperial  propo¬ 
sition,  giving  their  opinions  in  this  matter  of  religion, 
here  before  Your  Imperial  Majesty,  our  most  clement 
Lord,  we,  with  the  Princes  and  friends  aforesaid,  are  pre¬ 
pared  to  confer  amicably  concerning  all  possible  ways  and 
means,  as  far  as  may  be  honorably  done,  that  we  may 
come  together,  and,  the  matter  between  us  on  both  sides 
being  peacefully  discussed  without  offensive  strife,  the 
dissension,  by  God’s  help,  may  be  done  away  and  brought 
back  to  one  true  accordant  religion ;  for  as  we  all  serve 
and  do  battle  under  one  Christ,  we  ought  to  confess  the 
one  Christ,  and  so,  after  the  tenor  of  Your  Imperial 
Majesty’s  Edict,  everything  be  conducted  according  to  the 
truth  of  God,  which,  with  most  fervent  prayers,  we  entreat 
of  God. 

But,  with  regard  to  the  other  Electors,  Princes  and 
Estates,  if  they  hold  that  this  treatment  of  the  matter  of 
religion  after  the  manner  which  Your  Imperial  Majesty 
has  so  wisely  brought  forward,  namely  with  such  mutual 
presentation  of  writings  and  calm  conferring  together 
among  ourselves,  should  not  proceed,  or  be  unfruitful  in 
results ;  we,  at  least,  leave  behind  the  clear  testimony  that 
we  decline  or  refuse  nothing  whatever,  allowed  of  God  and 
a  good  conscience,  which  may  tend  to  bring  about  Christian 
concord;  as  also  Your  Imperial  Majesty  and  the  other 
Electors  and  Estates  of  the  Empire,  and  all  who  are  moved 
by  sincere  love  and  zeal  for  religion,  and  who  will  give  an 
impartial  hearing  to  this  matter,  will  graciously  perceive 
and  more  and  more  understand  from  this  our  Confession. 

Your  Imperial  Majesty  also,  not  only  once  but  often, 
graciously  signified  to  the  Electors,  Princes  and  Estates 
of  the  Empire,  and  at  the  Diet  of  Spires  held  A.  D.,  1526, 


6 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


according  to  the  form  of  Your  Imperial  instruction  and 
commission  given  and  prescribed,  caused  it  to  be  stated 
and  publicly  proclaimed,  that  Your  Majesty,  in  dealing 
with  this  matter  of  religion,  for  certain  reasons  which 
were  alleged  in  Your  Majesty’s  name,  was  not  willing  to 
decide  and  could  not  determine  anything,  but  that  Your 
Majesty  would  diligently  use  Your  Majesty’s  office  with 
the  Roman  Pontiff  for  the  convening  of  a  General  Council, 
as  the  same  was  publicly  set  forth  at  greater  length  over  a 
year  ago  at  the  last  Diet  which  met  at  Spires.  There 
Your  Imperial  Majesty,  through  his  Highness  Ferdinand, 
King  of  Bohemia  and  Hungary,  our  friend  and  clement 
Lord,  as  well  as  through  the  Orator  and  Imperial  Com¬ 
missioners,  caused  this,  among  other  things,  to  be  pro¬ 
claimed:  that  Your  Imperial  Majesty  had  known  of  and 
pondered  the  resolution  of  Your  Majesty’s  Representative 
in  the  Empire,  and  of  the  President  and  Imperial  Counsel¬ 
lors,  and  the  Legates  from  other  Estates  convened  at  Ratis- 
bon,  concerning  the  calling  of  a  Council,  and  that  this  also 
was  adjudged  by  Your  Imperial  Majesty  to  be  of  ad¬ 
vantage;  and  because  the  matters  to  be  adjusted  between 
Your  Imperial  Majesty  and  the  Roman  Pontiff  were  near¬ 
ing  agreement  and  Christian  reconciliation,  Your  Imperial 
Majesty  did  not  doubt  that  the  Roman  Pontiff  could  be 
induced  to  hold  a  General  Council;  therefore  Your  Im¬ 
perial  Majesty  himself  signified  that  he  would  endeavor 
to  secure  the  Chief  Pontiff’s  consent  together  with  Your 
Imperial  Majesty  to  convene  such  General  Council,  and 
that  letters  to  that  effect  would  be  publicly  issued  with  all 
possible  expedition. 

In  the  event,  therefore,  that  the  differences  between  us 
and  the  other  parties  in  the  matter  of  religion  cannot  be 
amicably  and  in  charity  settled  here  before  Your  Imperial 
Majesty,  we  offer  this  in  all  obedience,  abundantly  pre- 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION  7 

prepared  to  join  issue  and  to  defend  the  cause  in  such  a  gen¬ 
eral,  free,  Christian  Council,  for  the  convening  of  which 
there  has  always  been  accordant  action  and  agreement 
of  votes,  in  all  the  Imperial  Diets  held  during  Your 
Majesty’s  reign,  on  the  part  of  the  Electors,  Princes  and 
other  Estates  of  the  Empire.  To  this  General  Council, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  Your  Imperial  Majesty,  we  have 
made  appeal  in  this  greatest  and  gravest  of  matters  even 
before  this,  in  due  manner  and  form  of  law.  To  this  ap¬ 
peal,  both  to  Your  Imperial  Majesty  and  to  a  Council, 
we  still  adhere,  neither  do  we  intend,  nor  would  it  be  pos¬ 
sible  for  us,  to  relinquish  it  by  this  or  any  other  document, 
unless  the  matter  between  us  and  the  other  side,  according 
to  the  tenor  of  the  latest  Imperial  citation,  can  be  amicably 
and  charitably  settled  and  brought  to  Christian  concord, 
of  which  this  also  is  our  solemn  and  public  testimony. 


CHIEF  ARTICLES  OF  FAITH 
Article  I 

Our  Churches,  with  common  consent,  do  teach,  that  the 
decree  of  the  Council  of  Niaea  concerning  the  Unity  of 
the  Divine  Essence  and  concerning  the  Three  Persons, 
is  true  and  to  be  believed  without  any  doubting;  that  is  to 
say,  there  is  one  Divine  Essence  which  is  called  and  which 
is  God :  eternal,  without  body,  without  parts,  of  infinite 
power,  wisdom  and  goodness,  the  Maker  and  Preserver 
of  all  things,  visible  and  invisible;  and  yet  that  there  are 
three  Persons,  of  the  same  essence  and  power,  who  also  are 
co-eternal,  the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
the  term  “person”  they  use  as  the  Fathers  have  used  it, 
to  signify,  not  a  part  or  quality  in  another,  but  that  which 
subsists  of  itself. 

They  condemn  all  heresies  which  have  sprung  up  against 


8 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


this  article,  as  the  Manichaeans  who  assumed  two  principles 
[gods],  one  Good,  and  the  other  Evil;  also  the  Valentini- 
ans,  Arians,  Eunomians,  Mohammedans,  and  all  such. 
They  condemn  also  the  Samosatenes,  old  and  new,  who 
contending  that  there  is  but  one  Person,  sophistically  and 
impiously  argue  that  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are 
not  distinct  Persons,  but  that  “Word”  signifies  a  spoken 
word,  and  “Spirit”  [Ghost],  signifies  motion  created  in 
things. 

Article;  II 

Also  they  teach,  that  since  the  Fall  of  Adam,  all  men 
begotten  according  to  nature,  are  born  with  sin,  that  is, 
without  the  fear  of  God,  without  trust  in  God,  and  with 
concupiscence;  and  that  this  disease,  or  vice  of  origin,  is 
truly  sin,  even  now  condemning  and  bringing  eternal  death 
upon  those  not  born  again  through  baptism  and  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

They  condemn  the  Pelagians  and  others,  who  deny  that 
the  vice  of  origin  is  sin,  and  who,  to  obscure  the  glory  of 
Christ’s  merit  and  benefits,  argue  that  man  can  be  justified 
before  God  by  his  own  strength  and  reason. 

Article  III 

Also  they  teach,  that  the  Word,  that  is,  the  Son  of  God, 
did  take  man’s  nature  in  the  womb  of  the  blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  so  that  there  are  Two  Natures,  the  divine  and  the 
human,  inseparably  conjoined  in  one  Person,  one  Christ, 
true  God  and  true  man,  who  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
truly  suffered,  was  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  that  he 
might  reconcile  the  Father  unto  us,  and  be  a  sacrifice,  not 
only  for  original  guilt,  but  for  all  actual  sins  of  men.  He 
also  descended  into  Hell,  and  truly  rose  again  the  third 
day ;  afterward  he  ascended  into  Heaven,  that  he  might  sit 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


9 


on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  and  forever  reign,  and 
have  dominion  over  all  creatures,  and  sanctify  them  that 
believe  in  Him,  by  sending  the  Holy  Ghost  into  their 
hearts,  to  rule,  comfort  and  quicken  them,  and  to  defend 
them,  against  the  devil  and  the  power  of  sin.  The  same 
Christ  shall  openly  come  again  to  judge  the  quick  and  the 
dead,  etc.,  according  to  the  Apostles’  Creed. 

Article;  IV 

Also  they  teach,  that  men  cannot  be  Justified  before  God 
by  their  own  strength,  merits  or  works,  but  are  freely 
justified  for  Christ’s  sake  through  faith,  when  they  believe 
that  they  are  received  into  favor  and  that  their  sins  are 
forgiven  for  Christ’s  sake,  who,  by  His  death,  hath  made 
satisfaction  for  our  sins.  This  faith  God  imputes  for 
righteousness  in  his  sight,  Rom.  3  and  4. 

Article;  V 

That  we  may  obtain  this  faith,  the  Office  of  Teaching  the 
Gospel  and  administering  the  sacraments  was  instituted. 
For,  through  the  Word  and  sacraments  as  through  instru¬ 
ments,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  given,  who  worketh  faith  where 
and  when  it  pleaseth  God  in  them  that  hear  the  Gospel, 
to  wit,  that  God,  not  for  our  own  merits,  but  for  Christ’s 
sake,  justifieth  those  who  believe  that  they  are  received 
into  favor  for  Christ’s  sake. 

They  condemn  the  Anabaptists  and  others,  who  think 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  cometh  to  men  without  the  external 
Word,  through  their  own  preparations  and  works. 

• 

Article  VI 

Also  they  teach,  that  this  Faith  is  bound  to  bring  forth 
Good  Fruits,  and  that  it  is  necessary  to  do  good  works 


10 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


commanded  by  God,  because  of  God’s  will,  but  not  that 
we  should  rely  on  those  works  to  merit  justification  before 
God.  For  remission  of  sins  and  justification  are  appre¬ 
hended  by  faith,  as  also  the  voice  of  Christ  attests :  “When 
ye  shall  have  done  all  these  things,  say:  We  are  unprofit¬ 
able  servants”  [Luke  17  :  10].  The  same  is  also  taught  by 
the  Fathers.  For  Ambrose  says :  “It  is  ordained  of  God 
that  he  who  believes  in  Christ,  is  saved;  freely  receiving 
remission  of  sins,  without  works,  by  faith  alone.” 

Article  VII 

Also  they  teach,  that  One  holy  Church  is  to  continue  for 
ever.  The  Church  is  the  congregation  of  saints,  in  which 
the  Gospel  is  rightly  taught  and  the  sacraments  rightly 
administered.  And  to  the  true  unity  of  the  Church,  it  is 
enough  to  agree  concerning  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel 
and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments.  Nor  is  it  neces¬ 
sary  that  human  traditions,  rites,  or  ceremonies,  instituted 
by  men,  should  be  everywhere  alike.  As  Paul  says :  “One 
faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,”  etc.  [Eph. 
4  :  5>  6]. 

Article  VIII 

Although  the  Church  properly  is  the  Congregation  of 
Saints  and  true  believers,  nevertheless,  since,  in  this  life, 
many  hypocrites  and  evil  persons  are  mingled  therewith, 
it  is  lawful  to  use  t'he  Sacraments,  which  are  administered 
by  evil  men ;  according  to  the  saying  of  Christ :  “The 
Scribes  and  the  Pharisees  sit  in  Moses’  seat,”  etc.  [Matt. 
23  .*2],  Both  the  Sacraments  and  Word  are  effectual  by 
reason  of  the  institution  and  commandment  of  Christ, 
notwithstanding  they  be  administered  by  evil  men. 

They  condemn  the  Donatists,  and  such  like,  who  denied 
it  to  be  lawful  to  use  the  ministry  of  evil  men  in  the 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


11 


Church,  and  who  thought  the  ministry  of  evil  men  to  be 
unprofitable  and  of  none  effect. 

Article  IX 

Of  Baptism,  they  teach,  that  it  is  necessary  to  salvation, 
and  that  through  Baptism  is  offered  the  grace  of  God ; 
and  that  children  are  to  be  baptized,  who,  being  offered 
to  God  through  Baptism,  are  received  into  His  grace. 

They  condemn  the  Anabaptists,  who  allow  not  the  bap¬ 
tism  of  children,  and  say  that  children  are  saved  without 
baptism. 

Article:  X 

Of  thei  Supper  of  the  Lord,  they  teach,  that  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ  are  truly  present,  and  are  distributed 
to  those  who  eat  in  the  Supper  of  the  Lord ;  and  they  dis¬ 
approve  of  those  that  teach  otherwise. 

Article  XI 

Of  Confession,  they  teach,  that  Private  Absolution  ought 
to  be  retained  in  the  churches,  although  in  confession  an 
enumeration  of  all  sins  is  not  necessary.  For  it  is  im¬ 
possible,  according  to  the  Psalm:  “Who  can  understand 
his  errors?”  [Ps.  19  :  12]. 

Article  XII 

Of  Repentance,  they  teach,  that  for  those  that  have 
fallen  after  Baptism,  there  is  remission  of  sins  whenever 
they  are  converted;  and  that  the  Church  ought  to  impart 
absolution  to  those  thus  returning  to  repentance. 

Now  Repentance  consists  properly  of  these  two  parts: 
One  is  contrition,  that  is,  terrors  smiting  the  conscience 
through  the  knowledge  of  sin;  the  other  is  faith,  which, 
born  of  the  Gospel,  or  of  absolution,  believes  that,  for 


12 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


Christ’s  sake,  sin's  are  forgiven,  comforts  the  conscience, 
and  delivers  it  from  terrors.  Then  good  works  are  bound 
to  follow,  which  are  the  fruits  of  repentance. 

They  condemn  the  Anabaptists,  who  deny  that  those 
once  justified  can  lose  the  Holy  Ghost.  Also  those  who 
contend  that  some  may  attain  to  such  perfection  in  this 
life  that  they  cannot  sin.  The  Novatians  also  are  con¬ 
demned,  who  would  not  absolve  such  as  had  fallen  after 
Baptism,  though  they  returned  to  repentance.  They  also 
are  rejected  who  do  not  teach  that  remission  of  sins  com-  - 
eth  through  faith,  but  command  us  to  merit  grade  through 
satisfactions  of  our  own. 

Article  XIII 

Of  the  Use  of  the  Sacraments,  they  teach,  that  the  Sac¬ 
raments  were  ordained,  not  only  to  be  marks  of  profession 
among  men,  but  rather  to  be  signs  and  testimonies  of  the 
will  of  God  toward  us,  instituted  to  awaken  and  confirm 
faith  in  those  who  use  them.  Wherefore  we  must  so  use 
the  Sacraments  that  faith  be  added  to  believe  the  promises 
which  are  offered  and  set  forth  through  the  Sacraments. 

They  therefore  condemn  those  who  teach  that  the  Sacra¬ 
ments  justify  by  the  outward  act,  and  do  not  teach  that, 
in  the  use  of  the  Sacraments,  faith  which  believes  that 
sins  are  forgiven,  is  required. 

Article  XIV 

Of  Ecclesiastical  Order,  they  teach,  that  no  one  should 
publicly  teach  in  the  Church  or  administer  the  Sacraments, 
unless  he  be  regularly  called. 

Article  XV 

Of  Rites  and  Usages  in  the  Church,  they  teach,  that 
those  ought  to  be  observed  which  may  be  observed  with- 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


13 


out  sin,  and  which  are  profitable  unto  tranquillity  and  good 
order  in  the  Church,  as  particularly  holydays,  festivals, 
and  the  like. 

Nevertheless,  concerning  such  things,  let  men  be  ad¬ 
monished  that  consciences  are  not  to  be  burdened,  as 
though  such  observance  were  necessary  to  salvation.  They 
are  admonished  also  that  human  traditions  instituted  to 
propitiate  God,  to  merit  grace  and  to  make  satisfaction  for 
sins,  are  opposed  to  the  Gospel  and  the  doctrine  of  faith. 
Wherefore  vows  and  traditions  concerning  meats  and  days, 
etc.,  instituted  to  merit  grace  and  to  make  satisfaction  for 
sins,  are  useless  and  contrary  to  the  Gospel. 


Article  XVI 

Of  Civil  Affairs,  they  teach,  that  lawful  civil  ordinances 
are  good  works  of  God,  and  that  it  is  right  for  Christians 
to  bear  civil  office,  to  sit  as  judges,  to  determine  matters 
by  the  Imperial  and  other  existing  laws,  to  award  just 
punishments,  to  engage  in  just  wars,  to  serve  as  soldiers, 
to  make  legal  contracts,  to  hold  property,  to  make  oath 
when  required  by  the  magistrates,  to  marry,  to  be  given 
in  marriage. 

They  condemn  the  Anabaptists  who  forbid  these  civil 
offices  to  Christians.  They  condemn  also  those  who  do 
not  place  the  perfection  of  the  Gospel  in  the  fear  of  God 
and  in  faith,  but  in  forsaking  civil  offices;  for  the  Gospel 
teaches  an  eternal  righteousness  of  the  heart.  Meanwhile, 
it  does  not  destroy  the  State  or  the  family,  but  especially 
requires  their  preservation  as  ordinances  of  God,  and  in 
such  ordinances  the  exercise  of  charity.  Therefore,  Chris¬ 
tians  are  necessarily  bound  to  obey  their  own  magistrates 
and  laws,  save  only  when  commanded  to  sin,  for  then  they 
ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men  [Acts  5  :2 9]. 


14 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


Article  XVII 

Also  they  teach,  that,  at  the  Consummation  of  the 
World,  Christ  shall  appear  for  judgment,  and  shall  raise 
up  all  the  dead ;  he  shall  give  to  the  godly  and  elect  eternal 
life  and  everlasting  joys,  but  ungodly  men  and  the  devils 
he  shall  condemn  to  be  tormented  without  end. 

They  condemn  the  Anabaptists  who  think  that  there  will 
be  an  end  to  the  punishments  of  condemned  men  and 
devils.  They  condemn  also  others,  who  are  now  spread¬ 
ing  certain  Jewish  opinions  that,  before  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  the  godly  shall  take  possession  of  the  king¬ 
dom  of  the  world,  the  ungodly  being  everywhere  sup¬ 
pressed  [exterminated]. 

Article  XVIII 

Of  the  Freedom  of  the  Will,  they  teach,  that  man’s  will 
has  some  liberty  for  the  attainment  of  civil  righteousness, 
and  for  the  choice  of  things  subject  to  reason.  Neverthe¬ 
less,  it  has  no  power,  without  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  work 
the  righteousness  of  God,  that  is,  spiritual  righteousness ; 
since  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  [i  Cor.  2  :  14]  ;  but  this  righteousness  is  wrought 
in  the  heart  when  the  Holy  Ghost  is  received  through  the 
Word.  These  things  are  said  in  as  many  words  by  Augus¬ 
tine  in  his  Hypognosticon,  book  iii. :  “We  grant  that  all 
men  have  a  certain  freedom  of  will  in  judging  according 
to  [natural]  reason;  not  such  freedom,  however,  whereby 
it  is  capable,  without  God,  either  to  begin,  or  much  less 
to  complete  aught  in  things  pertaining  to  God,  but  only  in 
works  of  this  life,  whether  good  or  evil.  ‘Good,’  I  call 
those  works  which  spring  from  the  good  in  Nature,  that 
is,  to  have  a  will  to  labor  in  the  field,  to  eat  and  drink,  to 
have  a  friend,  to  clothe  oneself,  to  build  a  house,  to  marry, 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


15 


to  keep  cattle,  to  learn  divers  useful  arts,  or  whatsoever 
good  pertains  to  this  life,  none  of  which  things  are  with¬ 
out  dependence  on  the  providence  of  God;  yea,  of  Him 
and  through  Him  they  are  and  have  their  beginning.  ‘Evil/ 
I  call  such  works  as  to  have  a  will  to  worship  an  idol,  to 
commit  murder,”  etc. 

They  condemn  the  Pelagians  and  others  who  teach  that, 
without  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  power  of  nature  alone,  we 
are  able  to  love  God  above  all  things;  also  to  do  the  com¬ 
mandments  of  God  as  touching  “the  substance  of  the  act.” 
For,  although  nature  is  able  in  some  sort  to  do  the  out¬ 
ward  work  (for  it  is  able  to  keep  the  hands  from  theft 
and  murder),  yet  it  cannot  work  the  inward  motions,  such 
as  the  fear  of  God,  trust  in  God,  chastity,  patience,  etc. 

Articcr  XIX 

Of  the  Cause  of  Sin,  they  teach,  that  although  God  doth 
create  and  preserve  nature,  yet  the  cause  of  sin  is  the  will 
of  the  wicked,  that  is,  of  the  devil  and  ungodly  men; 
which  will,  unaided  of  God,  turn  itself  from  God,  as  Christ 
says  [John  8  : 44]  :  “When  he  speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh 
of  his  own.” 

Article;  XX 

Our  teachers  are  falsely  accused  of  forbidding  Good 
Works.  For  their  published  writings  on  the  Ten  Com¬ 
mandments,  and  others  of  like  import,  bear  witness  that 
they  have  taught  to  good  purpose  concerning  all  estates 
and  duties  of  life,  as  to  what  estates  of  life  and  what 
works  in  every  calling  be  pleasing  to  God.  Concerning 
these  things  preachers  heretofore  taught  but  little,  and 
urged  only  childish  and  needless  works,  as  particular  holy- 
days,  particular  fasts,  brotherhoods,  pilgrimages,  services 
in  honor  of  saints,  the  use  of  rosaries,  monasticism,  and 


16 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


such  like.  Since  our  adversaries  have  been  admonished 
of  these  things,  they  are  now  unlearning  them,  and  do  not 
preach  these  unprofitable  works  as  heretofore.  Besides, 
they  begin  to  mention  faith,  of  which  there  was  hereto¬ 
fore  marvellous  silence.  They  teach  that  we  are  justified 
not  by  works  only,  but  they  conjoin  faith  and  works,  and 
say  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  and  works.  This  doctrine 
is  more  tolerable  than  the  former  one,  and  can  afford  more 
consolation  than  their  old  doctrine. 

Forasmuch,  therefore,  as  the  doctrine  concerning  faith, 
which  ought  to  be  the  chief  one  in  the  Church,  has  lain 
so  long  unknown,  as  all  must  needs  grant  that  there  was 
the  deepest  silence  in  their  sermons  concerning  the  right¬ 
eousness  of  faith,  while  only  the  doctrine  of  works  was 
treated  in  the  churches,  our  teachers  have  instructed  the 
churches  concerning  faith  as  follows : 

First,  that  our  works  cannot  reconcile  God  or  merit 
forgiveness  of  sins,  grace  and  justification,  but  that  we 
obtain  this  only  by  faith,  when  we  believe  that  we  are 
received  into  favor  for  Christ’s  sake,  who  alone  has  been 
set  forth  the  Mediator  and  Propitiation  [i  Tim.  2  :  5],  in 
order  that  the  Father  may  be  reconciled  through  Him. 
Whoever,  therefore,  trusts  that  by  works  he  merits  grace, 
despises  the  merit  and  grace  of  Christ,  and  seeks  a  way  to 
God  without  Christ,  by  human  strength,  although  Christ 
has  said  of  Himself:  “I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the 
Fife”  [John  14  : 6]. 

This  doctrine  concerning  faith  is  everywhere  treated  by 
Paul  [Eph.  2:8]:  “By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith; 
and  that  not  of  yourselves;  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  not  of 
works,”  etc. 

And  lest  any  one  should  craftily  say  that  a  new  interpre¬ 
tation  of  Paul  has  been  devised  by  us,  this  entire  matter 
is  supported  by  the  testimonies  of  the  Fathers.  For  Augus- 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


17 


tine,  in  many  volumes,  defends  grace  and  the  righteousness 
of  faith,  over  against  the  merits  of  works.  And  Ambrose, 
in  his  De  Vocatione  Gentium ,  and  elsewhere,  teaches  to 
like  effect.  For  in  his  De  Vocatione  Gentium,  he  says  as 
follows:  “Redemption  by  the  Blood  of  Christ  would  be¬ 
come  of  little  value,  neither  would  the  pre-eminence  of 
man’s  works  be  superseded  by  the  mercy  of  God,  if  justi¬ 
fication,  which  is  wrought  through  grace,  were  due  to 
merits  going  before,  so  as  to  be,  not  the  free  gift  of  a 
donor,  but  the  reward  due  to  the  laborer.” 

But  although  this  doctrine  is  despised  by  the  inex¬ 
perienced,  nevertheless  God-fearing  and  anxious  con¬ 
sciences  find  by  experience  that  it  brings  the  greatest 
consolation,  because  consciences  cannot  be  pacified  through 
any  works,  but  only  by  faith,  when  they  are  sure  that,  for 
Christ’s  sake,  they  have  a  gracious  God.  As  Paul  teaches 
[Rom.  s  :  i]  :  “Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God.”  This  whole  doctrine  is  to  be  referred  to  that 
conflict  of  the  terrified  conscience ;  neither  can  it  be  under¬ 
stood  apart  from  that  conflict.  Therefore,  inexperienced 
and  profane  men  judge  ill  concerning  this  matter,  who 
dream  that  Christian  righteousness  is  nothing  but  the  civil 
righteousness  of  natural  reason. 

Pleretofore  consciences  were  plagued  with  the  doctrine 
of  works,  nor  did  they  hear  any  consolation  from  the 
Gospel.  Some  persons  were  driven  by  conscience  into  the 
desert,  into  monasteries,  hoping  there  to  merit  grace  by 
a  monastic  life.  Some  also  devised  other  works  whereby 
to  merit  grace  and  make  satisfaction  for  sins.  There  was 
very  great  need  to  treat  of  and  renew  this  doctrine  of 
faith  in  Christ,  to  the  end  that  anxious  consciences  should 
not  be  without  consolation,  but  that  they  might  know  that 
grace  and  forgiveness  of  sins  and  justification  are  appre¬ 
hended  by  faith  in  Christ. 


18 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


Men  are  also  admonished  that  here  the  term  “faith” 
doth  not  signify  merely  the  knowledge  of  the  history,  such 
as  is  in  the  ungodly  and  in  the  devil,  but  signiheth  a  faith 
which  believes,  not  merely  the  history,  but  also  the  effect 
of  the  history — namely,  this  article  of  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  to  wit,  that  we  have  grace,  righteousness,  and  for¬ 
giveness  of  sins,  through  Christ. 

Now  he  that  knoweth  that  he  has  a  Father  reconciled 
to  him  through  Christ,  since  he  truly  knows  God,  knows 
also  that  God  careth  for  him,  and  calls  upon  God ;  in  a 
word,  he  is  not  without  God,  as  the  heathen.  For  devils 
and  the  ungodly  are  not  able  to  believe  this  article  of  the 
forgiveness  of  sins.  Hence,  they  hate  God  as  an  enemy; 
call  not  upon  Him;  and  expect  no  good  from  Him. 
Augustine  also  admonishes  his  readers  concerning  the 
word  “faith,”  and  teaches  that  the  term  “faith”  is  accepted 
in  the  Scriptures,  not  for  knowledge  such  as  is  in  the  un¬ 
godly,  but  for  confidence  which  consoles  and  encourages 
the  terrified  mind. 

Furthermore,  it  is  taught  on  our  part,  that  it  is  neces¬ 
sary  to  do  good  works,  not  that  we  should  trust  to  merit 
grace  by  them,  but  because  it  is  the  will  of  God.  It  is 
only  by  faith  that  forgiveness  of  sins  and  grace  are  appre¬ 
hended.  And  because  through  faith  the  Holy  Ghost  is  re¬ 
ceived,  hearts  are  renewed  and  endowed  with  new  affec¬ 
tions,  so  as  to  be  able  to  bring  forth  good  works.  For 
Ambrose  says:  “Faith  is  the  mother  of  a  good  will  and 
right  doing.”  For  man’s  powers  without  the  Holy  Ghost 
are  full  of  ungodly  affections,  and  are  too  weak  to  do 
works  which  are  good  in  God’s  sight.  Besides,  they  are  in 
the  power  of  the  devil,  who  impels  men  to  divers  sins,  to 
ungodly  opinions,  to  open  crimes.  This  we  may  see  in  the 
philosophers,  who,  although  they  endeavored  to  live  an 
honest  life,  could  not  succeed,  but  were  defiled  with  many 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


19 


open  crimes.  Such  is  the  feebleness  of  man,  when  he  is 
without  faith  and  without  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  governs 
himself  only  by  human  strength. 

Hence  it  may  be  readily  seen  that  this  doctrine  is  not  to 
be  charged  with  prohibiting  good  works,  but  rather  the 
more  to  be  commended,  because  it  shows  how  we  are 
enabled  to  do  good  works.  For  without  faith  human 
nature  can  in  no  wise  do  the  works  of  the  First  or  the 
Second  Commandment.  Without  faith  it  does  not  call 
upon  God,  nor  expect  anything  from  Him,  nor  bear  the 
cross ;  but  seeks  and  trusts  in  man’s  help.  And  thus,  when 
there  is  no  faith  and  trust  in  God,  all  manner  of  lusts  and 
human  devices  rule  in  the  heart.  Wherefore  Christ  said 
[John  15  :  5]  :  “Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing,”  and  the 
Church  sings : 


“Without  Thy  power  divine 
In  man  there  nothing  is, 
Naught  but  what  is  harmful." 


Article  XXI 

Of  the  Worship  of  Saints,  they  teach,  that  the  memory 
of  saints  may  be  set  before  us,  that  we  may  follow  their 
faith  and  good  works,  according  to  our  calling,  as  the 
Emperor  may  follow  the  example  of  David  in  making 
war  to  drive  away  the  Turk  from  his  country.  For  both 
are  kings.  But  the  Scripture  teaches  not  the  invocation 
of  saints,  or  to  ask  help  of  saints,  since  it  sets  before  us 
Christ,  as  the  only  Mediator,  Propitiation,  High-Priest  and 
Intercessor.  He  is  to  be  prayed  to,  and  hath  promised  that 
he  will  hear  our  prayer;  and  this  worship  he  approves 
above  all,  to  wit,  that  in  all  afflictions  he  be  called  upon 
[1  John  2:1]:  “If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate 
with  the  Father,”  etc. 


20 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


This  is  about  the  Sum  of  our  Doctrine,  in  which,  as  can 
be  seen,  there  is  nothing  that  varies  from  the  Scriptures, 
or  from  the  Church  Catholic,  or  from  the  Church  of 
Rome  as  known  from  its  writers.  This  being  the  case, 
they  judge  harshly  who  insist  that  our  teachers  be  regarded 
as  heretics.  The  disagreement,  however,  is  on  certain 
Abuses,  which  have  crept  into  the  Church  without  rightful 
authority.  And  even  in  these,  if  there  were  some  differ¬ 
ence,  there  should  be  proper  lenity  on  the  part  of  bishops 
to  bear  with  us  by  reason  of  the  Confession  which  we  have 
now  drawn  up ;  because  even  the  Canons  are  not  so  severe 
as  to  demand  the  same  rites  everywhere,  neither  at  any 
time  have  the  rites  of  all  churches  been  the  same ; 
although,  among  us,  in  large  part,  the  ancient  rites  are  dili¬ 
gently  observed.  For  it  is  a  false  and  malicious  charge 
that  all  the  ceremonies,  all  the  things  instituted  of  old, 
are  abolished  in  our  churches.  But  it  has  been  a  common 
complaint  that  some  Abuses  were  connected  with  the  ordi¬ 
nary  rites.  These,  inasmuch  as  they  could  not  be  approved 
with  a  good  conscience,  have  been  to  some  extent  cor¬ 
rected. 

ARTICLES,  IN  WHICH  ARE  REVIEWED  THE 
ABUSES  WHICH  HAVE  BEEN  CORRECTED 

Inasmuch  then  as  our  churches  dissent  in  no  article 
of  the  Faith  from  the  Church  Catholic,  but  omit  some 
Abuses  which  are  new,  and  which  have  been  erroneously 
accepted  by  fault  of  the  times,  contrary  to  the  intent  of 
the  Canons,  we  pray  that  Your  Imperial  Majesty  would 
graciously  hear  both  what  has  been  changed,  and  also 
what  were  the  reasons,  in  order  that  the  people  be  not 
compelled  to  observe  those  abuses  against  their  conscience. 
Nor  should  Your  Imperial  Majesty  believe  those,  who,  in 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


21 


order  to  excite  the  hatred  of  men  against  our  part,  dis¬ 
seminate  strange  slanders  among  our  people.  Having 
thus  excited  the  minds  of  good  men,  they  have  first  given 
occasion  to  this  controversy,  and  now  endeavor,  by  the 
same  arts,  to  increase  the  discord.  For  Your  Imperial 
Majesty  will  undoubtedly  find  that  the  form  of  doctrine 
and  of  ceremonies  with  us,  is  not  so  intolerable  as  these 
ungodly  and  malicious  men  represent.  Furthermore,  the 
truth  cannot  be  gathered  from  common  rumors,  or  the 
revilings  of  our  enemies.  But  it  can  readily  be  judged  that 
nothing  would  serve  better  to  maintain  the  dignity  of 
worship,  and  to  nourish  reverence  and  pious  devotion 
among  the  people,  than  that  the  ceremonies  be  rightly  ob¬ 
served  in  the  churches. 

Article  XXII 

To  the  laity  are  given  Both  Kinds  in  the  Sacrament  of 
the  Ford’s  Supper,  because  this  usage  has  the  command¬ 
ment  of  the  Ford  [in  Matt.  26  :  27]  :  “Drink  ye  all  of  it;” 
where  Christ  has  manifestly  commanded  concerning  the 
cup  that  all  should  drink;  and  lest  any  man  should  craftily 
say  that  this  refers  only  to  priests,  Paul  [in  1  Cor.  11  :  27] 
recites  an  example  from  which  it  appears  that  the  whole 
congregation  did  use  both  kinds.  And  this  usage  has  long 
remained  in  the  Church,  nor  is  it  known  when,  or  by 
whose  authority,  it  was  changed ;  although  Cardinal  Cusa- 
nus  mentions  the  time  when  it  was  approved.  Cyprian  in 
some  places  testifies  that  the  Blood  was  given  to  the 
people.  The  same  is  testified  by  Jerome,  who  says :  “The 
priests  administer  the  Eucharist,  and  distribute  the  Blood 
of  Christ  to  the  people.”  Indeed  Pope  Gelasius  commands 
that  the  sacrament  be  not  divided  ( Dist .  ii.,  De  Conse- 
cratione,  Cap.  Comperimus) .  Only  custom,  not  so  ancient, 
has  it  otherwise.  But  it  is  evident  that  any  custom  intro- 


22 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


duced  against  the  commandments  of  God,  is  not  to  be 
allowed,  as  the  Canons  witness  ( Dist .  iii.,  Cap.  Veriiate, 
and  the  following  chapters).  But  this  custom  has  been  re¬ 
ceived,  not  only  against  the  Scripture,  but  also  against  the 
old  Canons  and  example  of  the  Church.  Therefore  if  any 
preferred  to  use  both  kinds  of  the  sacrament,  they  ought 
not  to  have  been  compelled  with  offence  to  their  consciences 
to  do  otherwise. 

And  because  the  division  of  the  sacrament  does  not 
agree  with  the  ordinance  of  Christ,  we  are  accustomed  to 
omit  the  procession,  which  hitherto  has  been  in  use. 

Article  XXIII 

There  has  been  common  complaint  concerning  the  Ex¬ 
amples  of  Priests,  who  were  not  chaste.  For  that  reason 
also,  Pope  Pius  is  reported  to  have  said  that  there  were 
certain  reasons  why  marriage  was  taken  away  from  priests, 
but  that  there  were  far  weightier  ones  why  it  ought  to  be 
given  back;  for  so  Platina  writes.  Since,  therefore,  our 
priests  were  desirous  to  avoid  these  open  scandals,  they 
married  wives,  and  taught  that  it  was  lawful  for  them  to 
contract  matrimony.  First,  because  Paul  says  [i  Cor. 
7:2]:  “To  avoid  fornication,  let  every  man  have  his 
own  wife.”  Also  [9]  :  “It  is  better  to  marry,  than  to 
burn.”  Secondly,  Christ  says  [Matt.  19  :  11] :  “All  men 
cannot  receive  this  saying;”  where  he  teaches  that  not  all 
men  are  fit  to  lead  a  single  life;  for  God  created  man  for 
procreation  [Gen.  1  128].  Nor  is  it  in  man’s  power,  with¬ 
out  a  singular  gift  and  work  of  God,  to  alter  this  creation. 
Therefore  those  that  are  not  fit  to  lead  a  single  life,  ought 
to  contract  matrimony.  For  no  man’s  law,  no  vow,  can 
annul  the  commandment  and  ordinance  of  God.  For  these 
reasons  the  priests  teach  that  it  is  lawful  for  them  to 
marry  wives.  It  is  also  evident  that  in  the  ancient  Church, 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


23 


priests  were  married  men.  For  Paul  says  [i  Tim.  3  :  2] 
that  a  bishop  should  be  the  husband  of  one  wife.  And  in 
Germany,  four  hundred  years  ago,  for  the  first  time,  the 
priests  were  violently  compelled  to  lead  a  single  life,  who 
indeed  offered  such  resistance  that  the  Archbishop  of 
Mayence,  when  about  to  publish  the  Pope’s  decree  con¬ 
cerning  this  matter,  was  almost  killed  in  the  tumult  raised 
by  the  enraged  priests.  And  so  harsh  was  the  dealing  in 
the  matter,  that  not  only  were  marriages  forbidden  for 
the  time  to  come,  but  also  existing  marriages  were  torn 
asunder,  contrary  to  all  laws,  divine  and  human,  contrary 
even  to  the  Canons  themselves,  made  not  only  by  the 
Popes,  but  by  most  celebrated  Councils. 

Seeing,  also,  that,  as  the  world  is  ageing,  man’s  nature 
is  gradually  growing  weaker,  it  is  well  to  guard  that  no 
more  vices  steal  into  Germany.  Furthermore,  God  or¬ 
dained  marriage  to  be  a  help  against  human  infirmity.  The 
Canons  themselves  say  that  the  old  rigor  ought  now  and 
then,  in  the  latter  times,  to  be  relaxed  because  of  the  weak¬ 
ness  of  men ;  which  it  is  to  be  devoutly  wished  were  done 
also  in  this  matter.  And  it  is  to  be  expected  that  the 
churches  shall  at  length  lack  pastors,  if  marriage  should 
be  any  longer  forbidden. 

But  while  the  commandment  of  God  is  in  force,  while 
the  custom  of  the  Church  is  well  known,  while  impure 
celibacy  causes  many  scandals,  adulteries,  and  other  crimes 
deserving  the  punishments  of  the  just  magistrates,  yet  it  is 
a  marvellous  thing  that  in  nothing  is  more. cruelty  ex¬ 
ercised  than  against  the  marriage  of  priests.  God  has 
given  commandment  to  honor  marriage.  By  the  laws  of 
all  well-ordered  commonwealths,  even  among  the  heathen, 
marriage  is  most  highly  honored.  But  now  men,  and  also 
priests,  are  cruelly  put  to  death,  contrary  to  the  intent  of 
the  Canons,  for  110  other  cause  than  marriage.  Paul  [in 


24 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


I  Tim.  4  :  3]  calls  that  a  doctrine  of  devils,  which  forbids 
marriage.  This  may  now  be  readily  understood  when  the 
law  against  marriage  is  maintained  by  such  penalties. 

But  as  no  law  of  man  can  annul  the  commandment  of 
God,  so  neither  can  it  be  done  by  any  vow.  Accordingly 
Cyprian  also  advises  that  women  who  do  not  keep  the 
chastity  they  have  promised  should  marry.  His  words 
are  these  [Book  I.,  Epistle  xi.]  :  “But  if  they  be  unwilling 
or  unable  to  persevere,  it  is  better  for  them  to  marry  than 
to  fall  into  the  fire  by  their  lusts;  at  least,  they  should 
give  no  offence  to  their  brethren  and  sisters.”  And  even 
the  Canons  show  some  leniency  toward  those  who'  have 
taken  vows  before  the  proper  age,  as  heretofore  has  gen¬ 
erally  been  the  case. 


Article  XXIV 

Falsely  are  our  churches  accused  of  Abolishing  the 
Mass;  for  the  Mass  is  retained  on  our  part,  and  celebrated 
with  the  highest  reverence.  All  the  usual  ceremonies  are 
also  preserved,  save  that  the  parts  sung  in  Latin  are  in¬ 
terspersed  here  and  there  with  German  hymns,  which 
have  been  added  to  teach  the  people  For  ceremonies  are 
needed  to  this  end  alone,  that  the  unlearned  be  taught. 
And  not  only  has  Paul  commanded  to  use  in  the  Church 
a  language  understood  by  the  people  [1  Cor.  14  :  2,  9],  but 
it  has  also  been  so  ordained  by  man’s  law. 

The  people  are  accustomed  to  partake  of  the  Sacrament 
together,  if  any  be  fit  for  it,  and  this  also  increases  the 
reverence  and  devotion  of  public  worship.  For  none  are 
admitted,  except  they  be  first  proved.  The  people  are 
also  advised  concerning  the  dignity  and  use  of  the  sacra¬ 
ment,  how  great  consolation  it  brings  anxious  consciences, 
that  they  may  learn  to  believe  God,  and  to  expect  and 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


25 


ask  of  Him  all  that  is  good.  This  worship  pleases  God; 
such  use  of  the  sacrament  nourishes  true  devotion  toward 
God.  It  does  not,  therefore,  appear  that  the  Mass  is  more 
devoutly  celebrated  among  our  adversaries,  than  among  us. 

But  it  is  evident  that  for  a  long  time,  it  has  been  the 
public  and  most  grievous  complaint  of  all  good  men,  that 
Masses  have  been  basely  profaned  and  applied  to  purposes 
of  lucre.  For  it  is  unknown  how  far  this  abuse  obtains 
in  all  the  churches,  by  what  manner  of  men  Masses  are 
said  only  for  fees  or  stipends,  and  how  many  celebrate 
them  contrary  to  the  Canons.  But  Paul  severely  threatens 
those  who  deal  unworthily  with  the  Eucharist,  when  he 
says  [i  Cor.  n  :  27]  :  “Whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread, 
and  drink  this  cup  of  the  Lord  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty 
of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.”  When,  therefore, 
our  priests  were  admonished  concerning  this  sin,  Private 
Masses  were  discontinued  among  us,  as  scarcely  any  Pri¬ 
vate  Masses  were  celebrated  except  for  lucre’s  sake. 

Neither  were  the  bishops  ignorant  of  these  abuses,  and 
if  they  had  corrected  them  in  time,  there  would  now  be 
less  dissension.  Heretofore,  by  their  own  negligence, 
they  suffered  many  corruptions  to  creep  into  the  Church. 
Now,  when  it  is  too  late,  they  begin  to  complain  of  the 
troubles  of  the  Church,  seeing  that  this  disturbance  has 
been  occasioned  simply  by  those  abuses,  which  were  so 
manifest  that  they  could  be  borne  no  longer.  Great  dis¬ 
sensions  have  arisen  concerning  the  Mass,  concerning  the 
Sacrament.  Perhaps  the  world  is  being  punished  for  such 
long-continued  profanations  of  the  Mass  as  have  been 
tolerated  in  the  churches  for  so  many  centuries,  by  the 
very  men  who  were  both  able  and  in  duty  bound  to  cor¬ 
rect  them.  For,  in  the  Ten  Commandments,  it  is  written 
(Exodus  20),  “The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that 
taketh  Plis  name  in  vain.”  But  since  the  world  began. 


26 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


nothing  that  God  ever  ordained  seems  to  have  been  so 
abused  for  filthy  lucre  as  the  Mass. 

There  was  also  added  the  opinion  which  infinitely  in¬ 
creased  Private  Masses,  namely,  that  Christ,  by  His  pas¬ 
sion,  had  made  satisfaction  for  original  sin,  and  instituted 
the  Mass  wherein  an  offering  should  be  made  for  daily 
sins,  venial  and  mortal.  From  this  has  arisen  the  common 
opinion  that  the  Mass  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  living 
and  the  dead,  by  the  outward  act.  Then  they  began  to 
dispute  whether  one  Mass  said  for  many  were  worth  as 
much  as  special  Masses  for  individuals,  and  this  brought 
forth  that  infinite  multitude  of  Masses.  Concerning  these 
opinions  our  teachers  have  given  warning,  that  they  de¬ 
part  from  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  diminish  the  glory  of 
the  passion  of  Christ.  For  Christ’s  passion  was  an  obla¬ 
tion  and  satisfaction,  not  for  original  guilt  only,  but  also  for 
all  sins,  as  it  is  written  to  the  Hebrews  (io  :  io),  “We 
are  sanctified  through  the  offering  of  Jesus  Christ,  once 
for  all.”  Also,  io  :  14:  “By  one  offering  he  hath  per¬ 
fected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified.”  Scripture  also 
teaches  that  we  are  justified  before  God  through  faith  in 
Christ,  when  we  believe  that  our  sins  are  forgiven  for 
Christ’s  sake.  Now  if  the  Mass  take  away  the  sins  of 
the  living  and  the  dead  by  the  outward  act,  justification 
comes  of  the  work  of  Masses,  and  not  of  faith,  which 
Scripture  does  not  allow. 

But  Christ  commands  us  [Luke  22  :  19],  “This  do  in 
remembrance  of  me;”  therefore  the  Mass  was  instituted 
that  the  faith  of  those  who  use  the  Sacraments  should 
remember  what  benefits  it  receives  through  Christ,  and 
cheer  and  comfort  the  anxious  conscience.  For,  to  remem¬ 
ber  Christ,  is  to  remember  his  benefits,  and  to  realize  that 
they  are  truly  offered  unto  us.  Nor  is  it  enough  only  to 
remember  the  history,  for  this  the  Jews  and  the  ungodly 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


27 


also  can  remember.  Wherefore  the  Mass  is  to  be  used  to 
this  end,  that  there  the  Sacrament  [Communion]  may  be 
administered  to  them  that  have  need  of  consolation;  as 
Ambrose  says :  “Because  I  always  sin,  I  am  always  bound 
to  take  the  medicine.” 

Now  forasmuch  as  the  Mass  is  such  a  giving  of  the 
Sacrament,  we  hold  one  communion  every  holyday,  and 
also  other  days,  when  any  desire  the  Sacrament  it  is  given 
to  such  as  ask  for  it.  And  this  custom  is  not  new  in  the 
Church;  for  the  Fathers  before  Gregory  make  no  men¬ 
tion  of  any  private  Mass,  but  of  the  common  Mass  [the 
Communion]  they  speak  very  much.  Chrysostom  says 
that  the  priest  stands  daily  at  the  altar,  inviting  some  to 
the  Communion  and  keeping  back  others.  And  it  appears 
from  the  ancient  Canons,  that  some  one  celebrated  the 
Mass  from  whom  all  the  other  presbyters  and  deacons 
received  the  Body  of  the  Ford ;  for  thus  the  words  of  the 
Nicene  Canon  say:  “Let  the  deacons,  according  to  their 
order,  receive  the  Holy  Communion  after  the  presbyters, 
from  the  bishop  or  from  a  presbyter.”  And  Paul  [i  Cor. 
ii  :  33]  commands  concerning  the  Communion:  “Tarry 
one  for  another,”  so  that  there  may  be  a  common  partici¬ 
pation. 

Forasmuch,  therefore,  as  the  Mass  with  us  has  the  ex¬ 
ample  of  the  Church,  taken  from  the  Scripture  and  the 
Fathers,  we  are  confident  that  it  cannot  be  disapproved, 
especially  since  the  public  ceremonies  are  retained  for  the 
most  part,  like  those  hitherto  in  use;  only  the  number  of 
Masses  differs,  which,  because  of  very  great  and  manifest 
abuses,  doubtless  might  be  profitably  reduced.  For  in 
olden  times,  even  in  churches  most  frequented,  the  Mass 
was  not  celebrated  every  day,  as  the  Tripartite  History 
(Book  9,  chapt.  33)  testifies:  “Again  in  Alexandria,  every 
Wednesday  and  Friday,  the  Scriptures  are  read,  and  the 


28 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


doctors  expound  them,  and  all  things  are  done  except  only 
the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist.” 

Article  XXV 

Confession  in  our  churches  is  not  abolished;  for  it  is 
not  usual  to  give  the  Body  of  the  Lord,  except  to  them 
that  have  been  previously  examined  and  absolved.  And 
the  people  are  most  carefully  taught  concerning  the  faith 
and  assurance  of  absolution,  about  which,  before  this 
time,  there  was  profound  silence.  Our  people  are  taught 
that  they  should  highly  prize  the  absolution,  as  being  the 
voice  of  God,  and  pronounced  by  His  command.  The 
power  of  the  Keys  is  commended,  and  we  show  what 
great  consolation  it  brings  to  anxious  consciences ;  that 
God  requires  faith  to  believe  such  absolution  as  a  voice 
sounding  from  Heaven,  and  that  such  faith  in  Christ  truly 
obtains  and  receives  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 

Aforetime,  satisfactions  were  immoderately  extolled;  of 
faith  and  the  merit  of  Christ,  and  the  righteousness  of 
faith,  no  mention  was  made;  wherefore,  on  this  point,  our 
churches  are  by  no  means  to  be  blamed.  For  this  even  our 
adversaries  must  needs  concede  to  us,  that  the  doctrine 
concerning  repentance  has  been  most  diligently  treated  and 
laid  open  by  our  teachers. 

But  the  Confession,  they  teach,  that  an  enumeration  of 
sins  is  not  necessary,  and  that  consciences  be  not  bur¬ 
dened  with  anxiety  to  enumerate  all  sins,  for  it  is  impos¬ 
sible  to  recount  all  sins,  as  the  Psalm  testifies  [19  :  13]  : 
“Who  can  understand  his  errors?”  Also  Jeremiah 
[17  :  9]  :  “The  heart  is  deceitful,  who  can  know  it?”  But 
if  no  sins  were  forgiven,  except  those  that  are  recounted, 
consciences  could  never  find  peace;  for  very  many  sins 
they  neither  see,  nor  can  remember. 

The  ancient  writers  also  testify  that  an  enumeration  is 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


29 


not  necessary.  For,  in  the  Decrees,  Chrysostom  is  quoted, 
who  thus  says :  “I  say  not  to  thee,  that  thou  shouldest 
disclose  thyself  in  public,  nor  that  thou  accuse  thyself 
before  others,  but  I  would  have  thee  obey  the  prophet 
who  says :  ‘Disclose  thy  way  before  God.’  Therefore  con¬ 
fess  thy  sins  before  God,  the  true  Judge,  with  prayer.  Tell 
thine  errors,  not  with  the  tongue,  but  with  the  memory 
of  thy  conscience.”  And  the  gloss  (“Of  Repentance,” 
Distinct,  v,  Cap.  Consideret )  admits  that  Confession  is 
of  human  right  only.  Nevertheless,  on  account  of  the 
great  benefit  of  absolution,  and  because  it  is  otherwise 
useful  to  the  conscience,  Confession  is  retained  among  us. 

Article  XXVI 

It  has  been  the  general  persuasion,  not  of  the  people 
alone,  but  also  of  such  as  teach  in  the  churches,  that  mak¬ 
ing  Distinctions  of  Meats,  and  like  traditions  of  men,  are 
works  profitable  to  merit  grace,  and  able  to  make  satis¬ 
factions  for  sins.  And  that  the  world  so  thought,  appears 
from  this,  that  new  ceremonies,  new  orders,  new  holydays, 
and  new  fastings  were  daily  instituted,  and  the  teachers 
in  the  churches  did  exact  these  works  as  a  service  neces¬ 
sary  to  merit  grace,  and  did  greatly  terrify  men’s  con¬ 
sciences,  if  they  should  omit  any  of  these  things.  From 
this  persuasion  concerning  traditions,  much  detriment  has 
resulted  in  the  Church. 

First,  the  doctrine  of  grace  and  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith  has  been  obscured  by  it,  which  is  the  chief  part 
of  the  Gospel,  and  ought  to  stand  out,  as  the  most  promi¬ 
nent  in  the  Church,  that  the  merit  of  Christ  may  be  well 
known,  and  that  faith,  which  believes  that  sins  are  for¬ 
given  for  Christ’s  sake,  may  be  exalted  far  above  works. 
Wherefore  Paul  also  lays  the  greatest  stress  on  this  article, 
putting  aside  the  law  and  human  traditions,  in  order  to 


30 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


show  that  the  righteousness  of  the  Christian  is  another 
than  such  works,  to  wit,  the  faith  which  believes  that  sins 
are  freely  forgiven  for  Christ’s  sake.  But  this  doctrine  of 
Paul  has  been  almost  wholly  smothered  by  traditions, 
which  have  produced  an  opinion  that,  by  making  distinc¬ 
tions  in  meats  and  like  services,  we  must  merit  grace  and 
righteousness.  In  treating  of  repentance,  there  was  no 
mention  made  of  faith ;  all  that  was  done  was  to  set  forth 
those  words  of  satisfaction,  and  in  these  all  repentance 
seemed  to  consist. 

Secondly,  these  traditions  have  obscured  the  command¬ 
ments  of  God ;  because  traditions  were  placed  far  above 
the  commandments  of  God.  Christianity  was  thought  to 
consist  wholly  in  the  observance  of  certain  holydays,  fasts 
and  vestures.  These  observances  had  won  for  themselves 
the  exalted  title  of  being  the  spiritual  life  and  the  perfect 
life.  Meanwhile  the  commandments  of  God,  according 
to  each  one’s  calling,  were  without  honor,  namely,  that 
the  father  brought  up  his  family,  that  the  mother  bore 
children,  that  the  Prince  governed  the  Commonwealth, — 
these  were  accounted  works  that  were  worldly  and  im¬ 
perfect,  and  far  below  those  glittering  observances.  And 
this  error  greatly  tormented  devout  consciences,  which 
grieved  that  they  were  bound  by  an  imperfect  state  of  life, 
as  in  marriage,  in  the  office  of  magistrate,  or  in  other  civil 
ministrations;  on  the  other  hand,  they  admired  the  monks 
and  such  like,  and  falsely  imagined  that  the  observances 
of  such  men  were  more  acceptable  to  God. 

Thirdly,  traditions  brought  great  danger  to  consciences ; 
for  it  was  impossible  to  keep  all  traditions,  and  yet  men 
judged  these  observances  to  be  necessary  acts  of  worship. 
Gerson  writes  that  many  fell  into  despair,  and  that  some 
even  took  their  own  lives,  because  they  felt  that  they  were 
not  able  to  satisfy  the  traditions ;  and  meanwhile,  they 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


31 


heard  not  the  consolation  of  the  righteousness  of  faith  and 
grace. 

We  see  that  the  summists  and  theologians  gather  the 
traditions  together,  and  seek  mitigations  whereby  to  ease 
consciences,  and  yet  they  do  not  succeed  in  releasing  them, 
but  sometimes  entangle  consciences  even  more.  And,  with 
the  gathering  of  these  traditions,  the  schools  and  sermons 
have  been  so  much  occupied  that  they  have  had  no  leisure 
to  touch  upon  Scripture,  and  to  seek  the  more  profitable 
doctrine  of  faith,  of  the  cross,  of  hope,  of  the  dignity  of 
civil  affairs,  of  consolation  of  sorely  tried  consciences. 
Hence  Gerson,  and  some  other  theologians,  have  griev¬ 
ously  complained,  that  by  these  strivings  concerning  tradi¬ 
tions,  they  were  prevented  from  giving  attention  to  a  better 
kind  of  doctrine.  Augustine  also  forbids  that  men’s  con¬ 
sciences  should  be  burdened  with  such  observances,  and 
prudently  advises  Januarius,  that  he  must  know  that  they 
are  to  be  observed  as  things  indifferent;  for  these  are  his 
words. 

Wherefore  our  teachers  must  not  be  looked  upon  as 
having  taken  up  this  matter  rashly,  or  from  hatred  of  the 
bishops,  as  some  falsely  suspect.  There  was  great  need  to 
warn  the  churches  of  these  errors,  which  had  arisen  from 
misunderstanding  the  traditions.  For  the  Gospel  compels 
us  to  insist  in  the  churches  upon  the  doctrine  of  grace, 
and  of  the  righteousness  of  faith ;  which,  however,  cannot 
be  understood,  if  men  think  that  they  merit  grace  by  ob¬ 
servances  of  their  own  choice. 

Thus,  therefore,  they  have  taught,  that  by  the  obser¬ 
vance  of  human  traditions  we  cannot  merit  grace,  or  be 
justified;  and  hence  we  must  not  think  such  observances 
necessary  acts  of  worship. 

They  add  hereunto  testimonies  of  Scripture.  Christ 
[Matt.  15  13],  defends  the  Apostles  who  had  not  ob- 


32 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


served  the  usual  tradition,  which  however,  seemed  to  per¬ 
tain  to  a  matter  not  unlawful,  but  indifferent,  and  to  have 
a  certain  affinity  with  the  purifications  of  the  law,  and  says 
[9]  :  “In  vain  do  they  worship  me  with  the  command¬ 
ments  of  men.”  He,  therefore,  does  not  exact  an  un¬ 
profitable  service.  Shortly  after,  he  adds  [  1 1  ]  :  “Not 
that  which  goeth  into  the  mouth,  defileth  a  man.”  So 
also  Paul  [Rom.  14  :  17]  :  “The  Kingdom  of  God  is  not 
meat  and  drink.”  Col.  [2  :  16]  :  “Ret  no  man  therefore 
judge  you  in  meat,  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of  an 
holyday,  or  of  the  Sabbath  day;”  also  [v.  20,  sq.]  : 
“If  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of  the 
world,  why,  as  though  living  in  the  world,  are  ye  subject 
to  ordinances,  touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not?”  And 
Peter  says  [Acts  15  :  10]  :  “Why  tempt  ye  God,  to  put  a 
yoke  upon  the  neck  of  the  disciples,  which  neither  our 
fathers,  nor  we  were  able  to  bear;  but  we  believe  that 
through  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be 
saved,  even  as  they.”  Here  Peter  forbids  to  burden  the 
consciences  with  many  rites,  either  of  Moses,  or  of  others. 

And  in  1  Tim.  [4  :  1,  3],  Paul  calls  the  prohibition  of 
meats  a  doctrine  of  devils;  for  it  is  against  the  Gospel 
to  institute  or  to  do  such  works  that  by  them  we  may  merit 
grace,  or  as  though  Christianity  could  not  exist  without 
such  service  of  God. 

Here  our  adversaries  cast  up  that  our  teachers  are  op¬ 
posed  to  discipline  and  mortification  of  the  flesh,  as  Jovin- 
ian.  But  the  contrary  may  be  learned  from  the  writings 
of  our  teachers.  For  they  have  always  taught  concerning 
the  cross,  that  it  behooves  Christians  to  bear  afflictions. 
This  is  the  true,  earnest  and  unfeigned  mortification,  to 
wit,  to  be  exercised  with  divers  afflictions,  and  to  be  cruci¬ 
fied  with  Christ. 

Moreover,  they  teach,  that  every  Christian  ought  to  ex- 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


ercise  and  subdue  himself  with  bodily  restraints  and  labors, 
that  neither  plenty  nor  slothfulness  tempt  him  to  sin,  but 
not  that  we  may  merit  grace  or  make  satisfaction  for 
sins  by  such  exercises.  And  such  external  discipline 
ought  to  be  urged  at  all  times,  not  only  on  a  few  and  set 
days.  So  Christ  commands  [Luke  21  :  34]  :  “Take  heed, 
lest  your  hearts  be  overcharged  with  surfeiting also 
[Matt.  17  :2i]  :  “This  kind  goeth  not  out  but  by  prayer 
and  fasting.”  Paul  also  says  [1  Cor.  9  :2 7]  :  “I  keep  under 
my  body  and  bring  it  into  subjection.”  Here  he  clearly 
shows  that  he  was  keeping  under  his  body,  not  to  merit 
forgiveness  of  sins  by  that  discipline,  but  to  have  his 
body  in  subjection  and  fitted  for  spiritual  things,  and  for 
the  discharge  of  duty  according  to  his  calling.  Therefore, 
we  do  not  condemn  fasting,  but  the  traditions  which  pre¬ 
scribe  certain  days  and  certain  meats,  with  peril  of  con¬ 
science,  as  though  works  of  such  kinds  were  a  necessary 
service. 

Nevertheless,  very  many  traditions  are  kept  on  our 
part,  which  conduce  to  good  order  in  the  Church,  as  the 
Order  of  Lessons  in  the  Mass,  and  the  chief  holydays. 
But,  at  the  same  time,  men  are  warned  that  such  ob¬ 
servances  do  not  justify  before  God,  and  that,  in  such 
things,  it  should  not  be  made  sin,  if  they  be  omitted  with¬ 
out  scandal.  Such  liberty  in  human  rites  was  not  unknown 
to  the  Fathers.  For  in  the  East  they  kept  Easter  at 
another  time  than  at  Rome,  and  when,  on  account  of  this 
diversity,  the  Romans  accused  the  Eastern  Church  of 
schism,  they  were  admonished  by  others  that  such  usages 
need  not  be  alike  everywhere.  And  Irenseus  says :  “Diver¬ 
sity  concerning  fasting  does  not  destroy  the  harmony  of 
faith.”  As  also  Pope  Gregory  intimates  in  Dist.  xii.,  that 
such  diversity  does  not  violate  the  unity  of  the  Church. 
And  in  the  Triparite  History,  Book  9,  many  examples  of 


34 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


dissimilar  rites  are  gathered,  and  the  following  statement 
is  made:  “It  was  not  the  mind  of  the  Apostles  to  enact 
rules  concerning  holydays,  but  to  preach  godliness  and  a 
holy  life.” 

Article:  XXVII 

What  is  taught,  on  our  part,  concerning  Monastic  Vows, 
will  be  better  understood,  if  it  be  remembered  what  has 
been  the  state  of  the  monasteries,  and  how  many  things 
were  daily  done  in  those  very  monasteries,  contrary  to  the 
Canons.  In  Augustine’s  time,  they  were  free  associa¬ 
tions.  Afterward,  when  discipline  wTas  corrupted,  vows 
were  everywhere  added  for  the  purpose  of  restoring  dis¬ 
cipline,  as  in  a  carefully  planned  prison.  Gradually,  many 
other  observances  were  added  besides  vows.  And  these 
fetters  were  laid  upon  many  before  the  lawful  age,  con¬ 
trary  to  the  Canons.  Many  also  entered  into  this  kind 

of  life  through  ignorance,  being  unable  to  judge  their 
own  strength,  though  they  were  of  sufficient  age.  Being 
thus  ensnared,  they  were  compelled  to  remain,  even  though 
some  could  have  been  freed  by  the  provision  of  the  Canons. 
And  this  was  more  the  case  in  convents  of  women  than  of 
monks,  although  more  consideration  should  have  been 
shown  the  weaker  sex.  This  rigor  displeased  many  good 

men  before  this  time,  who  saw  that  young  men  and 

maidens  were  thrown  into  convents  for  a  living,  and  what 
unfortunate  results  came  of  this  procedure,  and  what  scan¬ 
dals  were  created,  what  snares  were  cast,  upon  consciences ! 
They  were  grieved  that  the  authority  of  the  Canons  in  so 
momentous  a  matter  was  utterly  despised  and  set  aside. 

To  these  evils,  was  added  an  opinion  concerning  vows, 
which,  it  is  well  known,  in  former  times,  displeased  even 
those  monks  who  were  more  thoughtful.  They  taught 
that  vows  were  equal  to  Baptism ;  they  taught  that,  by  this 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


35 


kind  of  life,  they  merited  forgiveness  of  sins  and  justifi¬ 
cation  before  God.  Yea,  they  added  that  the  monastic  life 
not  only  merited  righteousness  before  God,  but  even 
greater  things,  because  it  kept  not  only  the  precepts,  but 
also  the  so-called  “evangelical  counsels.” 

Thus  they  made  men  believe  that  the  profession  of 
monasticism  was  far  better  than  Baptism,  and  that  the 
monastic  life  was  more  meritorious  than  that  of  magis¬ 
trates,  than  the  life  of  pastors  and  such  like,  who  serve 
their  calling  in  accordance  with  God’s  commands,  without 
any  man-made  services.  None  of  these  things  can  be 
denied ;  for  they  appear  in  their  own  books. 

What  then  came  to  pass  in  the  monasteries?  Aforetime, 
they  were  schools  of  Theology  and  other  branches,  profit¬ 
able  to  the  Church ;  and  thence  pastors  and  bishops  were 
obtained.  Now  it  is  another  thing.  It  is  needless  to  re¬ 
hearse  what  is  known  to  all.  Aforetime  they  came  to¬ 
gether  to  learn;  now  they  feign  that  it  is  a  kind  of  life 
instituted  to  merit  grace  and  righteousness ;  yea,  they 
preach  that  it  is  a  state  of  perfection,  and  they  put  it  far 
above  all  other  kinds  of  life  ordained  of  God. 

These  things  we  have  rehearsed  without  odious  exag¬ 
geration,  to  the  end  that  the  doctrine  of  our  teachers,  on 
this  point,  might  be  better  understood.  First,  concerning 
such  as  contract  matrimony,  they  teach,  on  our  part,  that 
it  is  lawful  for  all  men  who  are  not  fitted  for  single  life 
to  contract  matrimony,  because  vows  cannot  annul  the 
ordinance  and  commandment  of  God.  But  the  command¬ 
ment  of  God  is  [i  Cor.  7:2]:  “To  avoid  fornication,  let 
every  man  have  his  own  wife.”  Nor  is  it  the  command¬ 
ment  only,  but  also  the  creation  and  ordinance  of  God, 
which  forces  those  to  marry  who  are  not  excepted  by  a 
singular  work  of  God,  according  to  the  text  [Gen.  2  :  18]  : 
“It  is  not  good  that  the  man  should  be  alone.”  Therefore 


36 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


they  do  not  sin  who  obey  this  commandment  and  ordinance 
of  God.  What  objection  can  be  raised  to  this?  Let  men 
extol  the  obligation  of  a  vow  as  much  as  they  list,  yet  shall 
they  not  bring  to  pass  that  the  vow  annuls  the  command¬ 
ment  of  God.  The  Canons  teach  that  the  right  of  the 
superior  is  excepted  in  every  vow ;  much  less,  therefore, 
are  these  vows  of  force  which  are  against  the  command¬ 
ments  of  God. 

Now  if  the  obligation  of  vows  could  not  be  changed 
for  any  cause  whatever,  the  Roman  Pontiffs  could  never 
have  given  dispensation;  for  it  is  not  lawful  for  man  to 
annul  an  obligation  which  is  altogether  divine.  But  the 
Roman  Pontiffs  have  prudently  judged  that  leniency  is  to 
be  observed  in  this  obligation,  and  therefore  we  read 
that  many  times  they  have  dispensed  from  vows.  The 
case  of  the  King  of  Aragon  who  was  called  back  from  the 
monastery  is  well  known,  and  there  are  also  examples  in 
our  own  times. 

In  the  second  place,  Why  do  our  adversaries  exaggerate 
the  obligation  or  effect  of  a  vow,  when,  at  the  same  time, 
they  have  not  a  word  to  say  of  the  nature  of  the  vow 
itself,  that  it  ought  to  be  in  a  thing  possible,  free,  and 
chosen  spontaneously  and  deliberately.  But  it  is  not 
known  to  what  extent  perpetual  chastity  is  in  the  power 
of  man.  And  how  few  are  there  who  have  taken  the  vow 
spontaneously  and  deliberately !  Young  men  and  maidens, 
before  they  are  able  to  judge,  are  persuaded,  and  some¬ 
times  even  compelled,  to  take  the  vow.  Wherefore  it  is 
not  fair  to  insist  so  rigorously  on  the  obligation,  since  it 
is  granted  by  all  that  it  is  against  the  nature  of  a  vow  to 
take  it  without  spontaneous  and  deliberate  action. 

Many  canonical  laws  rescind  vows  made  before  the  age 
of  fifteen;  for  before  that  age,  there  does  not  seem  suffi¬ 
cient  judgment  in  a  person  to  decide  concerning  a  perpetual 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


37 


life.  Another  Canon,  granting  even  more  liberty  to  the 
weakness  of  man,  adds  a  few  years,  and  forbids  a  vow  to 
be  made  before  the  age  of  eighteen.  But  whether  we  fol¬ 
lowed  the  one  or  the  other,  the  most  part  have  an  excuse 
for  leaving  the  monasteries,  because  most  of  them  have 
taken  the  vows  before  they  reached  these  ages. 

But,  finally,  even  though  the  violation  of  a  vow  might 
be  rebuked,  yet  it  seems  not  forthwith  to  follow  that  the 
marriages  of  such  persons  ought  to  be  dissolved.  For 
Augustine  denies  that  they  ought  to  be  dissolved  (xxvii. 
Quaest.  I.,  Cap.  Nuptiarum )  ;  and  his  authority  is  not 
lightly  to  be  esteemed,  although  other  men  afterwards 
thought  otherwise. 

But  although  it  appears  that  God’s  command  concerning 
marriage  delivers  many  from  their  vows,  yet  our  teachers 
introduce  also  another  argument  concerning  vows,  to  show 
that  they  are  void.  For  every  service  of  God,  ordained 
and  chosen  of  men  without  the  commandment  of  God  to 
merit  justification  and  grace,  is  wicked;  as  Christ  says 
[Matt.  15  : 9]  :  “In  vain  they  do  worship  me  with  the 
commandments  of  men.”  And  Paul  teaches  everywhere 
that  righteousness  is  not  to  be  sought  by  our  own  ob¬ 
servances  and  acts  of  worship,  devised  by  men,  but  that  it 
comes  by  faith  to  those  who  believe  that  they  are  received 
by  God  into  grace  for  Christ’s  sake. 

But  it  is  evident  that  monks  have  taught  that  services 
of  man’s  making  satisfy  for  sins  and  merit  grace  and  justi¬ 
fication.  What  else  is  this  but  to  detract  from  the  glory 
of  Christ  and  to  obscure  and  deny  the  righteousness  of 
faith?  It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  vows  thus  com¬ 
monly  taken,  have  been  wicked  services,  and,  consequently, 
are  void.  For  a  wicked  vow,  taken  against  the  command¬ 
ment  of  God,  is  not  valid;  for  (as  the  Canon  says)  no 
vow  ought  to  bind  men  to  wickedness. 


38 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


Paul  says  [Gal.  5:4]:  “Christ  is  become  of  no  effect 
unto  you,  whosoever  of  you  are  justified  by  the  law;  ye  are 
fallen  from  grace.”  They,  therefore,  who  want  to  be 
justified  by  their  vows,  are  made  void  of  Christ  and  fall 
from  grace.  For  such  as  ascribe  justification  to  vows, 
ascribe  to  their  own  works  that  which  properly  belongs  to 
the  glory  of  Christ.  But  it  is  undeniable  that  the  monks 
have  taught  that,  by  their  vows  and  observances,  they 
were  justified,  and  merited  forgiveness  of  sins,  yea,  they 
invented  still  greater  absurdities,  saying  that  they  could 
give  others  a  share  in  their  works.  If  any  one  should  be 
inclined  to  enlarge  on  these  things  with  evil  intent,  how 
many  things  could  he  bring  together,  whereof  even  the 
monks  are  now  ashamed !  Over  and  above  this,  they  per¬ 
suaded  men  that  services  of  man’s  making  were  a  state 
of  Christian  perfection.  And  is  not  this  assigning  justifi¬ 
cation  to  works?  It  is  no  light  offence  in  the  Church  to 
set  forth  to  the  people  a  service  devised  by  men,  without 
the  commandment  of  God,  and  to  teach  that  such  service 
justifies  men.  For  the  righteousness  of  faith  in  Christ, 
which  chiefly  ought  to  be  in  the  Church,  is  obscured,  when 
this  wonderful  worshipping  of  angels,  with  its  show  of 
poverty,  humility  and  chastity,  is  cast  before  the  eyes  of 
men. 

Furthermore,  the  precepts  of  God  and  the  true  service  of 
God  are  obscured  when  men  hear  that  only  monks  are  in 
a  state  of  perfection.  For  Christian  perfection  is  to  fear 
God  from  the  heart,  again  to  conceive  great  faith,  and  to 
trust  that,  for  Christ’s  sake,  we  have  a  gracious  God,  to 
ask  of  God,  and  assuredly  to  expect  his  aid  in  all  things 
that,  according  to  our  calling,  are  to  be  borne;  and  mean¬ 
while,  to  be  diligent  in  outward  good  works,  and  to  serve 
our  calling.  In  these  things  consist  the  true  perfection  and 
the  true  service  of  God.  It  does  not  consist  in  the  un- 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


39 


married  life,  or  in  begging,  or  in  vile  apparel.  But  the 
people  conceive  many  pernicious  opinions  from  the  false 
commendations  of  monastic  life.  They  hear  unmarried 
life  praised  above  measure;  therefore  they  lead  their  mar¬ 
ried  life  with  offence  to  their  consciences.  They  hear  that 
only  beggars  are  perfect;  therefore  they  keep  their  pos¬ 
sessions  and  do  business  with  offence  to  their  consciences. 
They  hear  that  it  is  an  evangelical  counsel  not  to  avenge  ; 
therefore  some  in  private  life  are  not  afraid  to  take  re¬ 
venge,  for  they  hear  that  it  is  but  a  counsel,  and  not  a 
commandment;  while  others  judge  that  the  Christian  can¬ 
not  properly  hold  a  civil  office,  or  be  a  magistrate. 

There  are  on  record  examples  of  men  who,  forsaking 
marriage  and  the  administration  of  the  Commonwealth, 
have  hid  themselves  in  monasteries.  This  they  called  flee¬ 
ing  from  the  world,  and  seeking  a  kind  of  life  which 
should  be  more  pleasing  to  God.  Neither  did  they  see 
that  God  ought  to  be  served  in  those  commandments 
which  he  himself  has  given,  and  not  in  commandments 
devised  by  men  A  good  and  perfect  kind  of  life  is  that 
which  has  for  it  the  commandment  of  God.  It  is  neces¬ 
sary  to  admonish  men  of  these  things.  And  before  these 
times,  Gerson  rebuked  this  error  concerning  perfection, 
and  testified  that,  in  his  day,  it  was  a  new  saying  that  the 
monastic  life  is  a  state  of  perfection. 

So  many  wicked  opinions  are  inherent  in  the  vows,  such 
as  that  they  justify,  that  they  constitute  Christian  perfec¬ 
tion,  that  they  keep  the  counsels  and  commandments,  that 
they  have  works  of  supererogation.  All  these  things,  since 
they  are  false  and  empty,  make  vows  null  and  void. 

Article  XXVIII 

There  has  been  great  controversy  concerning  the  Power 
of  Bishops,  in  which  some  have  awkwardly  confounded 


40 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


the  power  of  the  Church  and  the  power  of  the  sword.  And 
from  this  confusion  very  great  wars  and  tumults  have  re¬ 
sulted,  while  the  Pontiffs,  emboldened  by  the  power  of 
the  Keys,  not  only  have  instituted  new  services  and  bur¬ 
dened  consciences  with  reservation  of  cases,  but  have  also 
undertaken  to  transfer  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  and 
to  take  the  Empire  from  the  Emperor.  These  wrongs 
have  long  since  been  rebuked  in  the  Church  by  learned 
and  godly  men.  Therefore,  our  teachers,  for  the  com¬ 
forting  of  men’s  consciences,  were  constrained  to  show 
the  difference  between  the  power  of  the  Church  and  the 
power  of  the  sword,  and  taught  that  both  of  them,  because 
of  God’s  commandment,  are  to  be  held  in  reverence  and 
honor,  as  among  the  chief  blessings  of  God  on  earth. 

But  this  is  their  opinion,  that  the  power  of  the  Keys,  or 
the  power  of  the  bishops,  according  to  the  Gospel,  is  a 
power  or  commandment  of  God,  to  preach  the  Gospel,  to 
remit  and  retain  sins,  and  to  administer  sacraments.  For 
with  that  commandment,  Christ  sends  forth  his  Apostles 
[John  20  :  21  sqq]  :  "As  my  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so 
send  I  you.  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whosesoever  sins 
ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them;  and  whosesoever 
sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained.”  Mark  [16  :  15]  :  “Go, 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.” 

This  power  is  exercised  only  by  teaching  or  preaching 
the  Gospel  and  administering  the  sacraments,  according 
to  the  calling,  either  to  many  or  to  individuals.  For  thereby 
are  granted,  not  bodily,  but  eternal  things,  as  eternal  right¬ 
eousness,  the  Holy  Ghost,  eternal  life.  These  things 
cannot  come  but  by  the  ministry  of  the  Word  and  the 
sacraments.  As  Paul  says  [Rom.  1  :  16]  :  “The  Gospel 
is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth.”  Therefore,  since  the  power  of  the  Church  grants 
eternal  things,  and  is  exercised  only  by  the  ministry  of  the 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


41 


Word,  it  does  not  interfere  with  civil  government;  no 
more  than  the  art  of  singing  interferes  with  civil  govern¬ 
ment.  For  civil  government  deals  with  other  things  than 
does  the  Gospel;  the  civil  rulers  defend  not  souls,  but 
bodies  and  bodily  things  against  manifest  injuries,  and 
restrain  men  with  the  sword  and  bodily  punishments  in 
order  to  preserve  civil  justice  and  peace. 

Therefore  the  power  of  the  Church  and  the  civil  power 
must  not  be  confounded.  The  power  of  the  Church  has 
its  own  commission,  to  teach  the  Gospel  and  to  admin¬ 
ister  the  sacraments.  Let  it  not  break  into  the  office  of 
another;  let  it  not  transfer  the  kingdoms  of  this  world; 
let  it  not  abrogate  the  laws  of  civil  rulers ;  let  it  not  abolish 
lawful  obedience;  let  it  not  interfere  with  judgments  con¬ 
cerning  civil  ordinances  or  contracts ;  let  it  not  prescribe 
laws  to  civil  rulers  concerning  the  form  of  the  Common¬ 
wealth.  As  Christ  says  [John  18  :  36]  :  “My  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world ;”  also  [Luke  12  :  14]  :  “Who  made  me  a 
judge  or  a  divider  over  you?”  Paul  also  says  [Phil. 
3  :  20]  :  “Our  citizenship  is  in  Heaven ;”  [2  Cor.  10  :  4]  : 
“The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal ;  but  mighty 
through  God  to  the  casting  down  of  imaginations.”  After 
this  manner,  our  teachers  discriminate  between  the  duties 
of  both  these  powers,  and  command  that  both  be  honored 
and  acknowledged  as  gifts  and  blessings  of  God. 

If  bishops  have  any  power  of  the  sword,  that  power 
they  have,  not  as  bishops,  by  the  commission  of  the 
Gospel,  but  by  human  law,  having  received  it  of  Kings 
and  Emperors,  for  the  civil  administration  of  what  is 
theirs.  This,  however,  is  another  office  than  the  ministry 
of  the  Gospel. 

When,  therefore,  a  question  arises  concerning  the  juris¬ 
diction  of  bishops,  civil  authority  must  be  distinguished 
from  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction.  Again,  according  to  the 


42 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


Gospel,  or,  as  they  say,  according  to  Divine  Law,  to  the 
bishops  as  bishops,  that  is,  to  those  to  whom  has  been 
committed  the  ministry  of  the  Word  and  the  sacraments, 
no  jurisdiction  belongs,  except  to  forgive  sins,  to  discern 
doctrine,  to  reject  doctrines  contrary  to  the  Gospel,  and 
to  exclude  from  the  communion  of  the  Church  wicked 
men,  whose  wickedness  is  known,  and  this  without  human 
force,  simply  by  the  Word.  Herein  the  congregations  are 
bound  by  Divine  Law  to  obey  them,  according  to  Luke 
io  :  16 :  “He  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me.” 

But  when  they  teach  or  ordain  anything  against  the 
Gospel,  then  the  congregations  have  a  commandment  of 
God  prohibiting  obedience  [Matt.  7  :  15]  :  “Beware  of 
false  prophets;”  Gal.  [1  : 8]  :  “Though  an  angel  from 
heaven  preach  any  other  Gospel  let  him  be  accursed;”  • 
2  Cor.  [13  :  8]  :  “We  can  do  nothing  against  the  truth;  but 
for  the  truth.”  Also  [v.  10]  :  “The  power  which  the  Lord 
hath  given  me  to  edification,  and  not  to  destruction.”  So, 
also,  the  Canonical  Laws  command  (II.  Q.  vii.,  Cap.  Sacer- 
dotes  and  Cap.  Oves).  And  Augustine  ( Contra  Petiliani 
Bpistolam )  :  “Not  even  to  Catholic  bishops  must  we  sub¬ 
mit,  if  they  chance  to  err,  or  hold  anything  contrary  to 
the  Canonical  Scriptures  of  God.” 

If  they  have  any  other  power  or  jurisdiction,  in  hearing 
and  judging  certain  cases,  as  of  matrimony  or  of  tithes, 
they  have  it  by  human  law.  But  where  the  ordinaries  fail, 
princes  are  bound,  even  against  their  will,  to  dispense  jus¬ 
tice  to  their  subjects,  for  the  maintenance  of  peace. 

Moreover,  it  is  disputed  whether  bishops  or  pastors 
have  the  right  to  introduce  ceremonies  in  the  Church,  and 
to  make  laws  concerning  meats,  holydays  and  degrees, 
that  is,  orders  of  ministers,  etc.  They  that  claim  this  right 
for  the  bishops,  refer  to  this  testimony  [John  16  :  12,  13]  : 

“I  have  yet  many  things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


43 


bear  them  now. — Howbeit  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth 
is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth.”  They  also  refer 
to  the  example  of  the  Apostles,  who  commanded  to  abstain 
from  blood  and  from  things  strangled  [Acts  15  :  29].  They 
refer  to  the  Sabbath  Day,  as  having  been  changed  into  the 
Lord’s  Day,  contrary  to  the  Decalogue,  as  it  seems.  Neither 
is  there  any  example  whereof  they  make  more  than  con¬ 
cerning  the  changing  of  the  Sabbath  Day.  Great,  say  they, 
is  the  power  of  the  Church,  since  it  has  dispensed  with 
one  of  the  Ten  Commandments! 

But,  concerning  this  question,  it  is  taught  on  our  part 
(as  has  been  shown  above),  that  bishops  have  no  power  to 
decree  anything  against  the  Gospel.  The  canonical  laws 
teach  the  same  thing  ( Dist .  ix.).  Now  it  is  against  Script¬ 
ure  to  establish  or  require  the  observance  of  any  traditions, 
to  the  end  that,  by  such  observance,  we  may  make  satis¬ 
faction  for  sins,  or  merit  grace  and  righteousness.  For 
the  glory  of  Christ’s  merit  is  dishonored  when,  by  such 
observances,  we  undertake  to  merit  justification.  But  it 
is  manifest  that,  by  such  belief,  traditions  have  almost 
infinitely  multiplied  in  the  Church,  the  doctrine  concerning 
Faith  and  the  righteousness  of  faith  being  meanwhile 
suppressed.  For  gradually  more  holydays  were  made, 
fasts  appointed,  new  ceremonies  and  services  in  honor  of 
saints  instituted ;  because  the  authors  of  such  things 
thought  that,  by  these  works,  they  were  meriting  grace. 
Thus,  in  times  past,  the  Penitential  Canons  increased, 
whereof  we  still  see  some  traces  in  the  satisfactions. 

Again,  the  authors  of  traditions  do  contrary  to  the  com¬ 
mand  of  God  when  they  find  matters  of  sin  in  foods,  in 
days,  and  like  things,  and  burden  the  Church  with  bondage 
of  the  law,  as  if  there  ought  to  be  among  Christians,  in 
order  to  merit  justification,  a  service  like  the  Levitical, 
the  arrangement  of  which  God  has  committed  to  the  Apos- 


44 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


ties  and  bishops.  For  thus  some  of  them  write;  and  the 
Pontiffs  in  some  measure  seem  to  be  misled  by  the  exam¬ 
ple  of  the  Law  of  Moses.  Hence  are  such  burdens,  as 
that  they  make  it  mortal  sin,  even  without  offence  to  others, 
to  do  manual  labor  on  holydays,  to  omit  Canonical  Hours, 
that  certain  foods  defile  the  conscience,  that  fastings  are 
works  which  appease  God,  that  sin  in  a  reserved  case 
cannot  be  forgiven  but  by  the  authority  of  him  who  re¬ 
served  it;  whereas  the  Canons  themselves  speak  only  of  * 
the  reserving  of  the  ecclesiastical  penalty,  and  not  of  the 
reserving  of  the  guilt. 

Whence  have  the  bishops  the  right  to  lay  these  tradi¬ 
tions  upon  the  Church  for  the  ensnaring  of  consciences, 
when  Peter  [Acts  15  :  ic]  forbids  to  put  a  yoke  upon  the 
neck  of  the  disciples,  and  Paul  says  [2  Cor.  13  :  10]  that 
the  power  given  him  was  to  edification,  not  to  destruction? 
Why,  therefore,  do  they  increase  sins  by  these  traditions? 

But  there  are  clear  testimonies  which  prohibit  the  mak¬ 
ing  of  such  traditions,  as  though  they  merited  grace  or 
were  necessary  to  salvation.  Paul  says  [Col.  2  :  16]  :  “Let 
i/no  man  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of  an 
holyday,  or  of  the  new  moon,  or  of  the  Sabbath  days;” 
v.  20,  23:  “If  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments 
of  the  world,  why,  as  though  living  in  the  world,  are  ye 
subject  to  ordinances  (touch  not;  taste  not;  handle  not, 
which  all  are  to  perish  with  the  using)  ;  after  the  com¬ 
mandments  and  doctrines  of  men?  which  things  have  in¬ 
deed  a  show  of  wisdom.”  Also  in  Tit.  [1  :  14]  he  openly 
forbids  traditions:  “Not  giving  heed  to  Jewish  fables  and 
commandments  of  men,  that  turn  from  the  truth.”  And 
Christ  [Matt.  15  :  14]  says  of  those  who  require  traditions: 
“Let  them  alone ;  they  be  blind  leaders  of  the  blind ;”  and 
he  rebukes  such  services  [v.  13]  :  “Every  plant  which  my 
Heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be  plucked  up.” 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


45 


If  bishops  have  the  right  to  burden  churches  with  in¬ 
finite  traditions,  and  to  ensnare  consciences,  why  does 
Scripture  so  often  prohibit  to  make  and  to  listen  to  tradi¬ 
tions?  Why  does  it  call  them  “doctrines  of  devils”  [i  Tim. 
4:1]?  Did  the  Holy  Ghost  in  vain  forewarn  of  these 
things  ? 

Since,  therefore,  ordinances  instituted  as  things  neces¬ 
sary,  or  with  an  opinion  of  meriting  grace,  are  contrary 
to  the  Gospel,  it  follows  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  any 
bishop  to  institute  or  exact  such  services.  For  it  is  neces¬ 
sary  that  the  doctrine  of  Christian  liberty  be  preserved  in 
the  churches,  namely,  that  the  bondage  of  the  Law  is  not 
necessary  to  justification,  as  it  is  written  in  the  Epistle  to 
the  Galatians  [5  :  1]  :  “Be  not  entangled  again  with  the 
yoke  of  bondage.”  It  is  necessary  that  the  chief  article 
of  the  Gospel  be  preserved,  to  wit,  that  we  obtain  grace 
freely  by  faith  in  Christ,  and  not  for  certain  observances 
or  acts  of  worship  devised  by  men. 

What  then  are  we  to  think  of  the  Sunday  and  like  rites 
in  the  house  of  God?  To  this  we  answer,  that  it  is  lawful 
for  bishops  or  pastors  to  make  ordinances  that  things  be 
done  orderly  in  the  Church,  not  that  thereby  we  should 
merit  grace  or  make  satisfaction  for  sins,  or  that  con¬ 
sciences  be  bound  to  judge  them  necessary  services,  and 
to  think  that  it  is  a  sin  to  break  them  without  offence  to 
others.  So  Paul  ordains  [1  Cor.  11  : 5],  that  women 
should  cover  their  heads  in  the  congregation  [1  Cor.  14  : 
30],  that  interpreters  of  Scripture  be  heard  in  order  in  the 
church,  etc. 

It  is  proper  that  the  churches  should  keep  such  ordi¬ 
nances  for  the  sake  of  charity  and  tranquillity,  so  far  that 
one  do  not  offend  another,  that  all  things  be  done  in  the 
churches  in  order,  and  without  confusion;  but  so  that 
consciences  be  not  burdened  to  think  that  they  be  neces- 


46 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


sary  to  salvation,  or  to  judge  that  they  sin  when  they  break 
them  without  offence  to  others ;  as  no  one  will  say  that  a 
woman  sins  who  goes  out  in  public  with  her  head  uncov¬ 
ered,  provided  only  that  no  offence  be  given. 

Of  this  kind,  is  the  observance  of  the  Lord’s  Day,  Easter, 
Pentecost,  and  like  holydays  and  rites.  For  those  who 
judge  that,  by  the  authority  of  the  Church,  the  observance 
of  the  Lord’s  Day  instead  of  the  Sabbath  Day  was  or¬ 
dained  as  a  thing  necessary,  do  greatly  err.  Scripture  has 
abrogated  the  Sabbath  Day;  for  it  teaches  that,  since  the 
Gospel  has  been  revealed,  all  the  ceremonies  of  Moses 
can  be  omitted.  And  yet,  because  it  was  necessary  to  ap¬ 
point  a  certain  day,  that  the  people  might  know  when  they 
ought  to  come  together,  it  appears  that  the  Church  [the 
Apostles]  designated  the  Lord’s  Day  for  this  purpose; 
and  this  day  seems  to  have  been  chosen  all  the  more  for 
this  additional  reason,  that  men  might  have  an  example  of 
Christian  liberty,  and  might  know  that  the  keeping  neither 
of  the  Sabbath,  nor  of  any  other  day,  is  necessary. 

There  are  monstrous  disputations  concerning  the  chang¬ 
ing  of  the  law,  the  ceremonies  of  the  new  law,  the  chang¬ 
ing  of  the  Sabbath  Day,  which  all  have  sprung  from  the 
false  belief  that  there  must  needs  be  in  the  Church  a  service 
like  to  the  Levitical,  and  that  Christ  had  given  commission 
to  the  Apostles  and  bishops  to  devise  new  ceremonies  as 
necessary  to  salvation.  These  errors  crept  into  the  Church 
when  the  righteousness  of  faith  was  not  clearly  enough 
taught.  Some  dispute  that  the  keeping  of  the  Lord’s  Day 
is  not  indeed  of  divine  right;  but  in  a  manner  so.  They 
prescribe  concerning  holydays,  how  far  it  is  lawful  to  work. 
What  else,  are  such  disputations  but  snares  of  consciences? 
For  although  they  endeavor  to  modify  the  traditions,  yet 
the  equity  can  never  be  perceived  as  long  as  the  opinion 
remains  that  they  are  necessary,  which  must  needs  remain 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


47 


where  the  righteousness  of  faith  and  Christian  liberty  are 
disregarded. 

The  Apostles  commanded  to  abstain  from  blood.  Who 
doth  now  observe  it?  And  yet  they  that  do  it  not,  sin 
not ;  for  not  even  the  Apostles  themselves  wanted  to  bur¬ 
den  consciences  with  such  bondage ;  but  they  forbade  it 
for  a  time,  to  avoid  offence.  For,  in  any  decree,  we  must 
consider  what  is  the  perpetual  aim  of  the  Gospel.  Scarcely 
any  Canons  are  kept  with  exactness,  and,  from  day  to  day. 
many  go  out  of  use  even  with  those  who  are  the  most 
zealous  advocates  of  traditions.  Neither  can  due  regard 
be  paid  to  consciences  unless  this  equity  be  observed,  that 
we  know  that  the  Canons  are  kept  without  holding  them  to 
be  necessary,  and  that  no  harm  is  done  consciences,  even 
though  traditions  go  out  of  use. 

But  the  bishops  might  easily  retain  the  lawful  obedi¬ 
ence  of  the  people,  if  they  would  not  insist  upon  the  ob¬ 
servance  of  such  traditions  as  cannot  be  kept  with  a  good 
conscience.  Now  they  command  celibacy;  they  admit 
none,  unless  they  swear  that  they  will  not  teach  the  pure 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel.  The  churches  do  not  ask  that  the 
bishops  should  restore  concord  at  the  expense  of  their 
honor;  which,  nevertheless,  it  would  be  proper  for  good 
pastors  to  do.  They  ask  only  that  they  would  release  un¬ 
just  burdens  which  are  new  and  have  been  received  con¬ 
trary  to  the  custom  of  the  Church  Catholic.  It  may  be 
that  there  were  plausible  reasons  for  some  of  these  ordi¬ 
nances  ;  and  yet  they  are  not  adapted  to  later  times.  It 
is  also  evident  that  some  were  adapted  through  erroneous 
conceptions.  Therefore  it  would  be  befitting  the  clemency 
of  the  Pontiffs  to  mitigate  them  now;  because  such  a  modi¬ 
fication  does  not  shake  the  unity  of  the  Church.  For  many 
human  traditions  have  been  changed  in  process  of  time,  as 
the  Canons  themselves  show.  But  if  it  be  impossible  to 


48 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


obtain  a  mitigation  of  such  observances  as  cannot  be  kept 
without  sin,  we  are  bound  to  follow  the  Apostolic  rule 
[Acts  5  :2g],  which  commands  us  to  obey  God  rather  than 
men.  Peter  [i  Pet.  5  : 3]  forbids  bishops  to  be  lords, 
and  to  rule  over  the  churches.  Now  it  is  not  our  design 
to  wrest  the  government  from  the  bishops,  but  this  one 
thing  is  asked,  namely,  that  they  allow  the  Gospel  to  be 
purely  taught,  and  that  they  relax  some  few  observances 
which  cannot  be  kept  without  sin.  But  if  they  make  no 
concession,  it  is  for  them  to  see  how  they  shall  give  ac¬ 
count  to  God  for  having,  by  their  obstinacy,  caused  a 
schism. 

Conclusion 

These  are  the  Chief  Articles  which  seem  to  be  in  con¬ 
troversy.  For  although  we  might  have  spoken  of  more 
Abuses,  yet,  to  avoid  undue  length,  we  have  set  forth  the 
chief  points,  from  which  the  rest  may  be  readily  judged. 
There  have  been  great  complaints  concerning  indulgences, 
v'  pilgrimages,  and  the  abuses  of  excommunication.  The 
parishes  have  been  vexed  in  many  ways  by  the  dealers  in 
indulgences.  There  were  endless  contentions  between  the 
pastors  and  the  monks  concerning  the  parochial  rites,  con¬ 
fessions,  burials,  sermons  on  extraordinary  occasions,  and 
innumerable  other  things.  Things  of  this  sort  we  have 
passed  over,  so  that  the  chief  points  in  this  matter,  having 
been  briefly  set  forth,  might  be  the  most  readily  under¬ 
stood.  Nor  has  anything  been  here  said  or  adduced  to 
the  reproach  of  any  one.  Only  those  things  have  been 
recounted,  whereof  we  thought  that  it  was  necessary  to 
speak,  so  that  it  might  be  understood  that,  in  doctrine  and 
ceremonies,  nothing  has  been  received  on  our  part,  against 
Scripture  or  the  Church  Catholic,  since  it  is  manifest  that 
we  have  taken  most  diligent  care  that  no  new  and  ungodly 
doctrine  should  creep  into  our  churches. 


AUGSBURG  CONFESSION 


49 


The  above  articles  we  desire  to  present  in  accordance 
with  the  edict  of  Your  Imperial  Majesty,  so  that  our  Con¬ 
fession  should  therein  be  exhibited,  and  a  summary  of  the 
doctrine  of  our  teachers  might  be  discerned.  If  anything 
further  be  desired,  we  are  ready,  God  willing,  to  present 
ampler  information  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

John,  Duke  of  Saxony,  Elector. 

George,  Margrave  of  Brandenburg. 

Ernest,  Duke  of  Euneburg. 

Philip,  Landgrave  of  Hesse. 

John  Frederick,  Duke  of  Saxony. 

Francis,  Duke  of  Euneburg. 

WoeEgang,  Prince  of  Anhalt. 

Senate  and  Magistracy  of  Nuremburg. 

Senate  of  Reutlingen. 


FORMULA 


FOR  THE  GOVERNMENT  AND  DISCIPLINE  OF 
THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 

(Revised  in  1888) 

CHAPTER  I 
Preliminary  Principles 

Section  i.  We  believe  that  from  an  examination  of  the 
works  of  nature  and  the  course  of  events,  we  may  derive 
evidence  of  the  existence  of  God  and  the  prominent  truths 
of  natural  religion.* 

Sec.  2.  But  that  the  evidence  of  natural  religion  is  not 
such  as  to  accord  us  a  satisfactory  knowledge  of  the  nature 
of  God  and  our  relation  to  him ;  nor  its  influence  sufficient 
to  urge  us  to  duty;f  and  that,  therefore,  a  farther  revela¬ 
tion  from  God  is  necessary. 

Sec.  3.  We  believe  that  such  a  revelation  God  has  given, 
at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners,  unto  the  fathers, 
and  in  later  days  by  his  Divine  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  his 
inspired  servants ;  $  that  this  revelation  is  contained  in  the 
books  known  in  Protestant  Christendom  as  the  Old  §  and 
New  Testaments,  and  that  every  individual  is  bound  to  re¬ 
ceive  this  as  his  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  to 
be  governed  by  it.  || 

*  Rom.  i.  20.  t  Acts  iv.  12;  Rom.  iii.  j,  2. 

J  Heb.  i.  1,  2.  §  2  Tim.  iii.  16. 

I!  John  v.  39;  Acts  xv.  11;  John  xiv.  16,  17. 

50  ‘ 


J 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


51 


Sec.  4.  We  hold  that  liberty  of  conscience  and  the  free 
exercise  of  private  judgment  in  matters  of  religion,  are 
natural  and  inalienable  rights  of  men,  of  which  no  govern¬ 
ment,  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  can  deprive  us.* 

Sec.  5.  As  order  is  necessary  to  the  prosperity  of  every 
associate  body,  and  as  Jesus  Christ  has  left  no  entire, 
specific  form  of  Government  and  Discipline  for  His 
Church,  it  is  the  duty  of  every  individual  church  to  adopt 
such  regulations  as  appear  to  them  most  consistent  with 
the  spirit  and  precepts  of  the  New  Testament,  and  best 
calculated  to  subserve  the  interests  of  the  Church  of 
Christ. 

Sec  6.  And  as  men  exercising  the  right  of  private  judg¬ 
ment  agree  in  the  opinion  that  Christianity  requires  a 
social  connection  among  its  professors ;  and  as  experience 
proves  that  men  will  differ  in  some  of  their  views  of  doc¬ 
trine  and  discipline;  and  as  too  much  difference  of  opinion 
would  be  prejudicial  to  the  objects  of  such  an  association, 
therefore  reason  dictates  that  those  holding  similar  views 
of  faith  and  practice  should  associate  together;  that  it  is 
their  duty  to  require  for  admission  to  church  membership 
among  them,  or  for  induction  into  the  sacred  office,  and 
for  continuance  in  either,  such  terms  as  they  deem  most 
accordant  with  the  precepts  and  spirit  of  the  Bible. 

Sec.  7.  Upon  the  broad  basis  of  these  principles  was 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  founded,  immediately 
after  the  Reformation.  Adhering  to  the  same  principles, 
the  Church  in  America  is  governed  by  three  Judicatories : 
the  Council  of  each  individual  church;  the  District  Synods, 
consisting  of  the  clergy  and  lay  delegates  from  a  par¬ 
ticular  district  of  country,  and  one  General  Synod,  formed 
by  representatives  from  all  the  different  Synods  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  receiving  and  holding  the  word  of  God 
*  Rom.  ii.  13,  15,  and  others;  Dan.  vi.  1,  23;  Acts  iv.  19. 


52 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


as  contained  in  the  canonical  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments  as  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  and  the  Augsburg  Confession  as  a  correct  exhi¬ 
bition  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  divine  word, 
and  of  the  faith  of  our  Church  founded  upon  that  word. 

CHAPTER  II 

Of  the  Church 

PART  I. — OE  THE  INVISIBLE  CHURCH 

Section  i.  The  true  or  invisible  Church  of  Christ  is  the 
collective  body  of  all  *  those  of  every  religious  denomina¬ 
tion  in  the  world,  who  are  in  a  state  of  grace.f 

Sec.  2.  The  true  Church  of  Christ  is  a  spiritual  X  society, 
consisting  of  members  whose  qualifications  §  are  spirit¬ 
ual,  and  who  are  associated  for  spiritual  purposes.  || 

Sec.  3.  It  is  a  catholic  or  universal  society;  its  mem¬ 
bers  not  being  confined  to  any  particular  nation  or  religious 
denomination. 

PART  II. — OF  THE  EXTERNAL  OR  VISIBLE  CHURCH 

Section  i.  The  visible  Church  is  the  collective  body  of 
those  who  profess  the  Christian  religion ;  consisting  of  all 
those  who  have  been  admitted  to  membership  by  baptism,** 
and  have  not  been  deprived  of  it  by  excommunication. 

Sec.  2.  Of  this  church  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  true  and  only  head ;  ff  having  neither  aban¬ 
doned  his  church  nor  appointed  any  vicar  in  his  stead. 

*  Eph.  iv.  1,  7.  t  Matt.  vii.  21;  xii.  50;  Acts  x.  35. 

$  John  xviii.  36.  §  John  iv.  13. 

||  Eph.  iv.  12;  i  Thess.  v.  11. 

H  1  Cor.  i.  2;  John  x.  16;  Rom.  xii.  4;  Eph  iv.  4,  6. 

**  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  ft  Eph.  v.  23,  24;  Eph.  1,  22. 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


53 


Sec.  3.  As  the  spirit  of  Christianity  leads  its  possessors 
to  social  intercourse*  with  each  other,  and  as  such  fel¬ 
lowship  is  essential  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  object 
of  the  Christian  Church;  therefore,  believers,  living  near 
together,  have  from  the  time  of  the  apostles  f  formed 
themselves  into  Christian  congregations. 

Sec.  4.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  such  church  to  have  the 
word  and  sacraments  administered  in  their  purity;  $  to 
give  an  adequate  and  just  support  to  the  pastor  or  pastors 
who  minister  unto  them;  to  provide  for  the  perpetuation 
of  a  faithful  ministry  able  to  teach,  §  and  to  endeavor  to 
propagate  the  gospel  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  || 

Sec.  5.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  watch  over  the 
purity  and  faithfulness  of  her  members. 

Sec.  6.  The  jurisdiction  of  the  church  is  purely  spirit¬ 
ual;  it  ought  to  have  no  connection  with  the  civil  govern¬ 
ment,**  neither  ought  its  decisions  be  enforced  by  the 
arm  of  civil  power. 

Sec.  7.  The  power  of  the  church  is  purely  declarative, 
whether  exercised  by  an  individual  church  council,  or  by 
any  other  ecclesiastical  judicatory;  i.  e.,  the  Bible  is  their 
juridical  code,  and  their  decisions  are  valid,  only  because 
founded  on  Scripture. 

Sec.  8.  The  visible  church  is  not  an  association  to  which 
we  may  belong  or  not  at  our  option,  but  it  is  the  duty  of 
every  one  who  has  an  opportunity  to  be  a  faithful  mem¬ 
ber  of  it.ff 

*  John  xiii.  34,  35;  Eph.  iv.  3;  v.  19. 
t  Acts  ii.  41;  1  Thess.  ii.  14;  Gal.  i.  22. 

+  1  Tim.  iv.  6;  vi.  3,  5;  Gal.  i.  8,  9. 

§  Tit.  i.  5;  2  Tim.  ii.  2. 
j|  Matt,  xxvii.  19,  20. 

U  I  Cor.  V.  7,  13. 

**  John  xviii.  26. 

ft  Matt,  xxviii.  19;  xi.  28,  29. 


54 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


CHAPTER  III 

Of  the  Officers  of  the  Church 
of  pastors 

Section  i.  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  himself  instituted  the 
clerical  office  in  the  New  Testament  Church,  and  made  it 
of  perpetual  standing.* * * §  The  persons  filling  this  office  are 
in  Scripture  designated  by  different  names,  as  bishop, 
presbyter  or  elder,  etc.,f  indicative  of  the  duties  of  the  of¬ 
fice.  All  these  are  by  divine  right  of  equal  rank,,$  and 
their  duties  are  principally  these :  to  expound  the  word  of 
God,  to  conduct  the  public  worship  of  God ,  §  to  administer 
the  sacraments,  to  participate  in  the  government  of  the 
church,  ||  and  to  admonish  men  of  their  duties A  as  well 
as  by  all  proper  means,  public  and  private,  to  edify  the 
church  of  Christ. 

Sec.  2.  Those  other  officers  who  were  endowed  with 
miraculous  gifts,  and  whose  instrumentality  Christ  used 
in  first  forming  the  church,  were  extraordinary  and  of 
temporary  standing. 

Sec.  3.  Pastors  are  amenable  for  their  conduct  to  the 
Synod  to  which  they  belong;  and  that  Synod  is  the  tri¬ 
bunal  which  has  the  entire  jurisdiction  over  them;  except¬ 
ing  in  those  cases  where  a  regular  appeal  is  obtained  to 
the  General  Synod,  agreeably  to  Article  IV.,  Section  8,  of 
the  Constitution  of  the  General  Synod. 

Sec.  4.  No  minister  shall  knowingly  grant  to  a  member 

*  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20;  2  Tim.  ii.  2;  Tit.  i.  5. 

t  2  Cor.  iv.  1;  Eph.  ix.  11. 

t  Luke  xxii.  25,  26;  Acts  xv.  17,  compared  with  28. 

§  Eph.  iv.  11,  12;  Acts  viii.  28,  31;  1  Pet.  v.  1,  2. 

||  Matt,  xxviii.  19;  1  Cor.  xi.  23;  iv.  1. 

Tf  Acts  vi.  2,  6. 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


55 


of  another  congregation  any  privileges  of  the  church,  which 
would  be  denied  to  said  member  by  his  own  pastor. 

Sec.  5.  It  is  the  sacred  duty  of  every  minister  so  to  con¬ 
duct  himself,  that  his  life  shall  present  to  his  congregation 
an  example  of  true  Christian  propriety  of  deportment: 
And  should  any  minister  of  our  church  be  guilty  of  an 
open  vice  (which  may  God  in  mercy  prevent!),  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  Church  Council  earnestly  to  exhort  him 
several  times  to  reformation;  and  if  this  should  prove  in¬ 
effectual,  or  if  the  case  be  such  as  to  bring  disgrace  upon 
the  church,  to  report  him  to  the  President  of  the  Synod. 

OF  EEDERS  AND  DEACONS 

Sec.  6.  The  other  officers  of  the  church  are  Elders  and 
Deacons,  who  are  elected  by  the  members  of  the  church 
as  their  agents  to  perform  some  of  the  dirties  originally 
devolving  on  themselves.  The  principal  duties  of  Elders 
are  to  aid  the  pastor  or  pastors  in  administering  the  gov¬ 
ernment  and  discipline  of  the  church;  to  endeavor  to  pre¬ 
serve  peace  and  harmony  among  its  members ;  to  visit  the 
Sabbath  and  other  congregational  schools,  and  to  promote 
the  religious  education  of  the  children  of  the  church ;  to 
visit  the  sick  and  afflicted,  and  aid  in  the  performance 
of  such  other  duties  as  are  incumbent  on  the  Church 
Council. 

The  duties  of  the  Deacons’  office  are  principally  these: 
To  lead  an  exemplary  life,  as  commanded  in  the  Script¬ 
ures;*  to  minister  unto  the  poor,f  extending  to  their 
wants  and  distributing  faithfully  amongst  them  the  col¬ 
lections  which  may  be  made  for  their  use ;  to  assist  the 
pastor  in  the  administration  of  the  Eucharist;  to  attend 
and  render  all  necessary  service  at  stated  worship ;  to  see 
that  their  minister  receives  a  just  and  adequate  support, 


*  1  Tim.  viii.  13,  and  others. 


t  Acts  vi.  2,  6. 


56 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


according  to  the  commands  of  our  Lord;  to  administer 
the  temporal  concerns  of  the  church,  and  to  aid  in  the  per¬ 
formance  of  such  other  duties  as  are  incumbent  on  the 
Church  Council.  Both  these  officers  are  elected  by  the 
members  of  the  church,  and  it  is  their  duty  to  feel  the 
deepest  interest  in  the  advancement  of  piety  among  them, 
and  to  exert  their  utmost  influence  to  promote  it. 

Sec.  7.  The  Elders  and  Deacons  are  the  representatives 
of  the  whole  church,  and  each  church  shall  determine  the 
number  of  their  officers  and  the  term  of  their  duration  in 
office;  yet  in  no  case  shall  they  serve  less  than  two  years 
nor  more  than  eight,  unless  re-elected.  And  when  elected 
they  shall  be  inducted  into  their  respective  offices,  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  form  prescribed  by  the  church  * 

Sec.  8.  When  the  corporate  powers  of  the  church  are 
vested  in  the  Church  Council,  trustees  are  unnecessary. 
Those  congregations,  however,  which  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  having  Trustees,  may,  if  they  deem  it  expedient, 
still  retain  them,  and  continue  to  them  such  privileges  as 
they  may  deem  expedient. 

CHAPTER  IV 
Of  the  Church  Councie 

Section  i.  The  Church  Council  is  the  lowest  judicatory 
of  the  church,  consisting  of  the  pastor,  or  pastors,  and  all 
the  elders  and  deacons  of  a  particular  church. 

Sec.  2.  The  pastor,  together  with  half  the  other  existing 
members  of  the  Church  Council,  and,  in  the  necessary  ab¬ 
sence  of  the  pastor,  two-thirds  of  the  remaining  members 
of  the  Council,  shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

Sec.  3.  But  no  business  connected  with  the  government 
or  discipline  of  the  church  shall  be  transacted  without  the 


*  Vide  “Liturgy,”  etc. 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


57 


presence  of  the  minister,  unless  his  absence  is  unavoidable 
or  voluntary,  or  the  church  be  vacant.  And  when  present, 
the  pastor  shall  be  ex-officio  chairman. 

Sec.  4.  The  Church  Council  *  shall  have  the  superin¬ 
tendence  of  all  the  temporal  concerns  of  the  church,  and 
shall  see  that  they  are  administered  with  wisdom,  faithful¬ 
ness  and  justice.  They  shall  also  elect  from  the  members 
of  the  Council  or  the  congregation  a  deputy  to  represent 
them  at  the  annual  synodical  meeting. 

Sec.  5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Council  to  admit  to 
membership  adults  who  shall  make  application,  and  whom, 
on  mature  examination,  they  shall  judge  to  be  possessed 
of  the  qualifications  hereafter  specified. f  They  shall  be 
obedient  subjects  of  divine  grace — that  is,  they  must  sat¬ 
isfy  the  Church  Council  that  they  have  sincerely  repented 
of  their  sins,  and  truly  believe  in  the  Cord  Jesus  Christ. 
Also,  to  admit  to  the  communion  of  the  church  all  those 
who  were  admitted  to  church  membership  in  their  infancy, 
and  whom,  on  like  examination,  they  shall  judge  possessed 
of  the  above  mentioned  qualifications.  No  one  shall  be 
considered  a  fit  subject  for  confirmation  who  has  not  pre¬ 
viously  attended  a  course  of  religious  lectures  delivered 
by  the  pastor,  on  the  most  important  doctrines  and  princi¬ 
ples  of  religion,  unless  the  pastor  shall  be  satisfied  that  the 
applicant’s  attainments  are  adequate  without  this  attend¬ 
ance.  And  when  adults  are  admitted  to  membership,  their 
baptism  shall,  if  possible,  be  performed  publicly  before  the 
church ;  and  when  members  who  were  baptized  in  their 
infancy  are  admitted  to  full  communion,  they  shall  in  the 
same  public  manner  confirm  their  baptismal  vows  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  form  of  confirmation  customary  in  the  church. 

Sec.  6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  pastor,  or  the  Church 

*  1  Thess.  v.  12,  13. 

t  Mark  xvi.  16;  John  iii.  5;  Acts  viii.  15;  xvi.  14,  15. 


58 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


Council,  to  keep  a  complete  list  of  all  the  communing  mem¬ 
bers,  the  record  of  which  shall  be  the  property  of  the 
church. 

Sec.  7.  If  any  member  of  the  Church  Council  shall  con¬ 
duct  himself  in  a  manner  unworthy  of  his  office,  he  may  be 
accused  before  the  Council,  and  if  found  guilty,  his  case 
shall  be  referred  to  the  whole  church  for  decision. 

Sec.  8.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Council  to  administer 
the  discipline  of  the  church  on  all  those  whose  conduct  is 
inconsistent  with  their  Christian  profession,  or  who  enter¬ 
tain  fundamental  errors.*  To  this  end  they  shall  have 
power  to  cite  any  of  their  church  members  to  appear  be¬ 
fore  them,  and  to  endeavor  to  obtain  other  witnesses,  when 
the  case  may  require  it.  It  shall  further  be  the  duty  of  the 
Council,  when  any  member  offends,  first  privately  to  ad¬ 
monish  him,  or,  if  necessary,  to  call  him  to  an  account; 
and  if  these  measures  prove  ineffectual,  to  suspend  or 
excommunicate  him,  that  is,  to  debar  him  from  the  privi¬ 
leges  peculiar  to  church  membership,  according  to  the  pre¬ 
cepts  of  the  New  Testament  laid  down  in  this  formula.  It 
shall  also  be  their  duty  to  restore  f  those  subjects  of  sus¬ 
pension  or  excommunication,  to  all  the  privileges  of  the 
church,  who  shall  manifest  sincere  repentance.  Every  act 
of  excommunication  or  restoration  may  be  published  to 
the  church,  if  deemed  necessary  by  the  majority  of  the 
Council. 

Sec.  9.  The  Church  Council  may  at  any  time  be  con¬ 
vened  by  the  minister;  and  it  shall  be  his  duty  to  call  a 
meeting  when  requested  by  two  members  of  the  Council, 
or  by  one-fourth  of  the  electors  of  the  church,  or  when 
directed  by  the  Synod. 

Sec.  10.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Church  Council  to 
watch  over  the  religious  education  of  the  children  of  the 
*  1  Cor.  v.  7,  13.  t  2  Cor.  ii.  7;  Gal.  vi.  1. 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


59 


church,  and  to  see  that  they  be  occasionally  collected,  for 
the  purpose  of  being  taught  the  Catechism  of  the  Church, 
and  instructed  in  the  duties  and  principles  of  the  Christian 
religion. 

Sec.  ii.  The  Church  Council  shall  keep  a  record  of 
their  proceedings,  of  all  the  baptisms,  and  of  persons  ad¬ 
mitted  to  sacramental  communion ;  an  abstract  of  which 
shall  be  annually  sent  to  the  Synod  for  inspection. 

Sec.  12.  In  all  cases  of  appeal  from  the  decisions  of  the 
Church  Council,  the  Council  shall  take  no  further  meas¬ 
ures  grounded  on  their  decision  until  the  sentence  has 
been  reviewed  by  the  Synod.  But  if  the  decision  appealed 
from  be  a  sentence  of  suspension  or  excommunication,  it 
shall  immediately  take  effect  and  continue  in  force  until 
reversed  by  the  Synod.  And  in  every  case  of  appeal,  the 
Church  Council  shall  send  a  detailed  and  correct  account 
of  the  proceedings  in  the  case,  and  of  the  charges  and 
evidence  on  both  sides. 

Sec.  13.  Any  vacant  pastoral  district  may  also  send  a 
delegate  to  the  Synod  as  their  representative. 

CHAPTER  V 
Oe  Church  Members 

Section  i.  The  members  of  any  particular  church  are 
all  those  members  of  the  visible  (see  Chap.  2,  Sec.  1) 
church,  who  are  associated  together  under  some  form  of 
Christian  government  and  discipline,  for  divine  worship, 
and  the  better  attainment  of  the  objects  for  which  the 
Church  of  Christ  was  instituted. 

Sec.  2.  Every  church  member  is  amenable  to  the  Council, 
and  must  appear  before  them  when  cited,  and  submit  to 
the  discipline  of  the  church  regularly  administered.* 

*  Tit.  iii.  10;  Matt,  xviii.  17,  18. 


60 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


Sec.  3.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  church  member  to  lead 
a  Christian  life;  that  is,  to  perform  all  the  duties  required 
of  him  or  her  in  Scripture.  Thus  it  is  the  duty  of  adults 
to  perform  all  the  Christian  duties;  to  attend  the  public 
worship  of  God,* * * §  and  to  partake  of  the  Lord’s  supper  f 
whenever  an  opportunity  is  afforded.  It  is  the  duty  of 
parents  to  educate  their  children  in  the  nurture  and  ad¬ 
monition  of  the  Lord,  $  to  teach  them  the  doctrines  of  the 
church,  and  to  subject  them  to  the  ordinances  of  the 
same.  § 

Sec.  4.  Any  member  being  dissatisfied  with  the  decision 
of  the  Church  Council  relative  to  himself  may  appeal  to 
the  Synod.  But,  in  every  case  the  applicant  shall  give 
notice  to  the  Church  Council  of  his  intention,  either  im¬ 
mediately  or  within  two  weeks  of  the  time  when  the  sen¬ 
tence  was  made  known  to  him,  and  shall  specify  to  them 
the  reasons  of  his  dissatisfaction  and  the  ground  of  his  ap¬ 
peal. 

Sec.  5.  It  is  recommended  that  when  a  member  of  one 
of  our  churches  moves  into  the  bounds  of  another,  and 
wishes  to  be  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  church,  he 
shall  bring  with  him  a  certificate  of  good  standing  from  his 
former  pastor;  and,  until  he  hand  in  his  certificate,  he  re¬ 
mains  responsible  to  the  church  from  which  he  came. 

Sec.  6.  It  is  recommended,  as  accordant  with  the  prin¬ 
ciples  of  the  New  Testament,  that  the  members  of  the 
church  ought  not  to  prosecute  each  other  before  a  civil 
tribunal,  until  they  have  first  made  an  attempt  to  settle 
their  point  of  difference  through  the  mediation  of  their 
Christian  brethren. 

*  Heb.  x.  15;  Col.  iii.  16;  Acts  ii.  46;  Matt,  xviii.  20;  Exod. 

xx.  8;  Ps.  lxxxiy.  2,  9,  11. 

t  1  Cor.  xi.  25. 

§  Eph.  vi.  4;  2  Tim.  iii.  14,  15. 


t  Eph.  vi.  4. 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


61 


CHAPTER  VI 
Of  Elections 

Section  i.  All  congregational  elections  must  be  pub¬ 
lished  by  the  Church  Council  to  the  congregation,  at  least 
two  weeks  before  the  election. 

Sec.  2.  The  Council  may  publish  a  congregational  meet¬ 
ing  for  any  lawful  purpose  when  they  shall  deem  it  neces¬ 
sary  ;  and  they  shall  be  compelled  so  to  do,  when  requested  by 
one-third  of  the  lawful  electors  of  the  church. 

Sec.  3.  The  electors  of  any  particular  church  in  our  con¬ 
nection,  are  all  those  who  are  in  full  communion  with  the 
same;  who  submit  to  its  government  and  discipline  regu¬ 
larly  administered ;  who  contribute  according  to  their  abil¬ 
ity  and  engagements  to  all  its  necessary  expenditures,  and 
who  have  communed,  unless  providentially  prevented,  with¬ 
in  one  year  preceding  an  election. 

Sec.  4.  At  all  elections  for  elders  or  deacons,  no  person 
may  be  elected  to  either  of  said  offices,  who  is  not  a  mem¬ 
ber  in  full  communion  with  said  church. 

Sec.  5.  When  an  election  is  held  in  a  vacant  congre¬ 
gation  for  a  pastor,  two-thirds  of  all  the  electors  present 
shall  be  necessary  to  an  election;  and  if  the  votes  were  not 
unanimous,  it  is  recommended  that  the  presiding  officer 
shall  invite  the  minority  to  concur  in  the  decision.  He  shall 
give  the  minister  a  certificate,  signed  by  himself,  of  his 
election.  This  certificate,  with  a  statement  of  the  sup¬ 
port*  which  they  promise  him,  shall  be  a  legal  call  to  the 
pastor  therein  specified. 

Sec.  6.  At  elections  for  members  of  the  Church  Council, 
the  existing  Council  shall  nominate  twice  as  many  persons 
as  are  to  be  elected,  and  the  church  may  nominate  half  as 

*  1  Tim.  v.  8 ;  x  Cor.  ix.  14;  Luke  x.  7. 


* 


62 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


many  more,  if  they  deem  it  necessary,  from  whom  the 
officers  may  be  chosen. 

Sec.  7.  If,  from  any  cause,  a  vacancy  occurs  in  the 
Council  in  the  interval  between  the  stated  elections,  it  shall 
be  filled  without  delay  by  a  special  election,  and  the  person 
thus  elected  shall  serve  until  the  regular  expiration  of  the 
time  of  the  member  in  whose  place  he  was  elected. 

CHAPTER  VII 
Of  Prayer  Meetings,  etc. 

Section  i.  As  prayer  is  one  of  the  most  necessary  duties 
of  a  Christian,*  and  as  prayer  meetings  have  been  of  the 
utmost  importance  and  usefulness,  it  is,  therefore,  most 
earnestly  recommended  to  the  different  churches  in  our 
connection,  to  establish  and  promote  them  among  our 
members.  These  meetings  may  be  held  in  the  church, 
school-house,  or  in  private  houses,  and  their  object  is  the 
spiritual  edification  of  the  persons  present;  but  the  utmost 
precaution  must  ever  be  observed  that  God,  who  is  a  spirit, 
be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  in  truth ;  that  they  be  charac¬ 
terized  by  that  solemnity  and  decorum  which  ought  ever 
to  attend  divine  worship,  and  that  no  disorder  be  tolerated, 
or  anything  that  is  calculated  to  interrupt  the  devotions 
of  those  who  are  convened,  or  prevent  their  giving  the  full¬ 
est  attention  to  him  who  is  engaged  in  leading  the  meet¬ 
ing;  in  short,  that,  according  to  the  injunction  of  the  apos¬ 
tle,  all  things  be  done  “decently  and  in  order.” 

Sec.  2.  It  is  solemnly  recommended  to  all  church-mem¬ 
bers,  and  more  especially  to  the  members  of  the  Council, 
to  make  daily  worship  in  their  families  a  sacred  duty.f 

Sec.  3.  It  is  expedient  that  no  person  be  permitted  to 

*1  Thess.  v.  17;  Luke  xvii.  1;  Col.  iv.  2. 
t  Acts  i.  44;  Eph.  vi.  3;  Acts  x.  12;  Jer.  x.  25. 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


63 


preach  in  any  of  the  churches  in  our  connection,  except 
by  consent  of  the  pastor  and  Council  of  said  church,  and, 
in  the  absence  of  the  pastor,  by  permission  of  the  Council. 

CHAPTER  VIII 

Of  Synod 

Section  i.  It  was  found  necessary  and  profitable  in  the 
primitive  church  to  have  an  occasional  meeting  of  different 
individual  churches,  for  the  purpose  of  consultation  and 
mutual  encouragement,  in  preserving  their  purity  and  pro¬ 
moting  their  welfare.*  This  apostolic  custom  is  retained  in 
the  Lutheran  Church  under  the  name  of  Conference,  Synod 
and  General  Synod. 

Sec.  2.  A  Synod  consists  of  all  ministers  and  licensed 
candidates  within  a  certain  district,  and  one  lay  delegate 
from  each  pastoral  charge  located  within  such  district. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  Synod  to  see  that  the 
rules  of  government  and  discipline  prescribed  in  this  For¬ 
mula  are  observed  by  all  the  congregations  and  ministers 
within  their  bounds,  to  receive  appeals  from  decisions  of 
church  councils,  and  of  Special  Conferences,  when  regu¬ 
larly  brought  before  them,  and  review  and  reverse  or  con¬ 
firm  the  decisions  to  which  they  refer;  to  examine  and  de¬ 
cide  on  all  charges  against  ministers  and  licentiates,  that  of 
heterodoxy  alone  excepted ;  to  form  and  change  ministerial 
districts;  to  attend  to  any  business  relating  to  their 
churches,  which  is  regularly  brought  before  them;  to  pro¬ 
vide  supplies  for  destitute  congregations,  and  to  devise 
and  execute  all  suitable  measures  for  the  promotion  of 
piety  and  the  general  prosperity  of  the  church,  not  other¬ 
wise  disposed  of  in  this  Formula. 

Sec.  4.  To  this  end  the  Synod  and  Ministerium  shall 

*  Acts  xv.  2,  6,  22,  23;  Acts  xxi.  15,  17.  18. 


64 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


have  power  to  cite  any  church  members  within  their 
bounds  to  appear  before  them;  and  to  endeavor  to  obtain 
other  witnesses,  when  the  case  may  require  it. 

Sec.  5.  If  any  congregation,  hitherto  in  connection  with 
a  Synod,  should  refuse  to  observe  the  resolutions  of  said 
Synod,  or  the  provisions  of  this  Formula,  it  shall  be  ex¬ 
cluded  from  connection  with  said  Synod  during  the  time 
of  its  refusal;  nor  shall  any  other  Synod,  nor  any  Luth¬ 
eran  minister  or  licentiate,  take  charge  of  it  without  special 
permission  of  the  President. 

Sec.  6.  Any  congregation  may  become  connected  with 
the  Synod  within  whose  bounds  it  is  situated,  by  acceding 
to  the  provisions  of  this  Formula,  and  making  some  an¬ 
nual  contribution  towards  defraying  the  necessary  expenses 
of  said  Synod.  For  this  purpose  an  annual  collection  ought 
to  be  held  in  each  congregation. 

Sec.  7.  At  least  one  meeting  of  each  Synod  shall  be  held 
every  year,  at  such  time  and  place  as  may  have  been  deter¬ 
mined  on. 

Sec.  8.  No  minister  or  licentiate  shall  be  absent  from  the 
meeting  of  the  Synod  without  the  most  urgent  necessity.  In 
case  of  his  absence,  he  shall,  if  possible,  send  to  the  Synod 
a  written  apology  for  his  absence.  Voluntary  ministerial 
engagements  shall  not  be  regarded  as  a  sufficient  excuse. 
Any  minister  or  licentiate  violating  the  provisions  of  this 
section,  shall  be  called  to  account  by  the  President  at-  the 
next  meeting. 

Sec.  9  These  written  apologies,  as  well  as  all  other  letters 
and  papers  intended  for  the  Synod  or  Ministerium,  ought 
to  be  addressed  to  the  President. 

Sec.  10.  The  minister  of  the  place  in  which  the  Synod  is 
held,  with  the  church  council,  shall  endeavor  to  provide  for 
the  entertainment  of  the  ministers,  candidates,  and  lay  dele¬ 
gates,  by  Christian  friends. 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


65 


Sec.  ii.  All  the  members  of  the  Synod  shall  endeavor  to 
assemble  on  the  evening  preceding  the  day  appointed. 

Sec.  12.  Divine  worship  shall  be  celebrated,  during  the 
meeting  of  the  Synod,  as  often  as  may  be  convenient,  and 
consistent  with  the  business  of  the  Synod. 

Sec.  13.  Ministers  in  good  standing  in  other  Synods,  or 
in  any  sister  churches,  who  may  happen  to  be  present,  or 
who  appear  as  delegates  from  said  bodies,  may  be  received 
as  advisory  members,  but  cannot  vote  in  any  decisions  of 
the  Synod. 

CHAPTER  IX 

Officers  of  the  Synod 

Section  I.  The  officers  of  Synod  shall  be  a  President, 
Secretary  or  Secretaries,  and  Treasurer,  who  shall  be 
elected  by  a  majority  of  votes  present,  either  annually,  or 
at  such  stated  times  as  may  be  determined  by  each  Synod. 
The  President  and  Secretaries  shall  be  ordained  ministers, 
the  Treasurer  may  be  either  a  minister  or  a  layman. 

PRESIDENT 

Sec.  2.  He  shall  deliver  a  discourse  at  the  opening  of 
each  annual  meeting  of  Synod,  or  appoint  a  substitute;  and 
shall,  in  connection  with  the  pastor  of  the  church,  have 
direction  of  the  religious  exercises  during  Synod,  and  the 
appointment  of  individuals  to  preach;  unless  Synod  shall 
appoint  a  special  committee  on  religious  exercises,  and  of 
which  he  and  the  pastor  shall  be  members. 

Sec.  3.  He  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the  Synod, 
decide  questions  of  order,  subject  to  an  appeal  to  Synod, 
and  discharge  all  the  duties  usually  devolving  on  the  pre¬ 
siding  officer  of  such  a  body. 

Sec.  4.  He  shall  appoint  all  committees  not  specially 
named  or  elected  by  Synod. 


66 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


Sec.  5.  He  shall,  after  the  Synod  is  duly  constituted  by 
enrolling  the  names  of  the  members,  present  a  written  re¬ 
port  of  all  his  official  acts  during  the  Synodical  year,  and 
may  present  such  additional  statements  and  recommenda¬ 
tions  as  in  his  judgment  should  claim  the  attention  of 
Synod.  This  report  shall  be  dealt  with  as  other  papers  be¬ 
longing  to  Synod. 

Sec.  6.  He  shall  give  advice  to  members  of  Synod  and 
congregations  when  requested,  or  when  in  his  judgment 
such  advice  is  needed. 

Sec.  7.  Should  he  remove  from  the  bounds  of  the  Synod, 
depart  this  life,  resign,  or  become  disqualified  for  the  dis¬ 
charge  of  his  duties,  the  Secretary  shall  succeed  him,  and 
discharge  the  duties  of  the  office  until  the  next  meeting  of 
Synod. 

Sec.  8.  He  shall,  with  the  Secretary,  subscribe  all  offi¬ 
cial  documents  of  the  Synod. 

Sec.  9.  He  shall  perform  the  ceremony  of  ordination, 
assisted  by  the  Secretary  and  the  ministers,  and  give  to  ap¬ 
proved  candidates  letters  of  license,  which,  as  well  as  cer¬ 
tificates  of  ordination,  he  is  to  subscribe  with  his  official 
signature. 

SECRETARY 

Sec.  10.  He  shall  keep  a  faithful  and  accurate  record  of 
all  the  proceedings  of  Synod,  carefully  preserve  all  the 
papers,  the  seal,  etc.,  of  the  Synod,  subject  to  its  direction, 
and  shall  do  all  the  official  writing  not  otherwise  provided 
for. 

Sec.  11.  He  shall  give  notice  (either  by  circular  or  in  the 
church  papers)  of  the  time  and  place  of  the  Synodical 
meeting,  at  least  four  weeks  previous  to  the  time  appointed. 

Sec.  12.  He  shall  keep  a  register  of  the  names  of  all  the 
ministers  and  licentiates,  arranged  according  to  their  age 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT  67 

in  office,  and  also  of  the  congregations,  whether  vacant  or 
not,  connected  with  the  Synod. 

Sec.  13.  If  the  business  should  render  it  necessary,  the 
President  may  appoint  an  Assistant  Secretary,  whose  office 
shall  expire  at  the  close  of  the  meeting  of  Synod. 

Sec.  14.  Should  he  remove  from  the  bounds  of  the 
Synod,  depart  this  life,  or  become  disqualified  for  the  dis¬ 
charge  of  his  duties,  the  President  shall  require  the  ar¬ 
chives,  seal,  and  any  other  property  of  Synod,  to  be  deliv¬ 
ered  to  him,  and  shall  appoint  a  Secretary  to  act  until  the 
meeting  of  Synod. 

treasurer 

Sec.  15.  He  shall  take  charge  of  the  moneys  belonging 
to  Synod,  and  shall  keep  them  subject  to  its  order. 

Sec.  16.  He  shall  keep,  and  present  at  each  annual  meet¬ 
ing  of  Synod,  a  detailed  and  faithful  account  of  the  state 
of  the  Treasury.  If  the  Synod  desires  it,  he  shall  give  a 
bond  for  the  faithful  performance  of  the  duties  of  his 
office. 

Sec.  17.  Should  he  remove  out  of  the  bounds  of  the 
Synod,  depart  this  life,  resign,  or  become  disqualified  for 
the  discharge  of  his  duties,  the  President  shall  take  charge 
of  all  the  moneys,  certificates,  bonds,  etc.,  belonging  to 
Synod,  and  retain  them  until  a  Treasurer  is  elected  at  the 
next  meeting  of  Synod. 

CHAPTER  X 

Other  Members  of  a  Synod 

Section  i.  No  minister  or  licentiate  shall  interfere  with 
the  congregation  of  another,  by  preaching  or  performing 
other  ministerial  duties  in  them,  except  by  the  request  or 
consent  of  the  latter,  or,  in  his  absence,  without  invitation 
from  the  Church  Council. 


68 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


Sec.  2.  Any  minister  or  licentiate,  in  good  standing,  who 
removes  into  the  bounds  of  another  Synod,  shall,  on  appli¬ 
cation  to  the  President,  receive  a  certificate  of  honorable 
dismission,  and  such  a  certificate  shall  be  required  by  the 
Synod  of  those  applying  for  admission  into  it. 

Sec.  3.  Any  Lutheran  minister,  presenting  to  the  Presi¬ 
dent  of  Synod  an  honorable  dismission  from  another 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod,  shall  by  him  be  received,  and 
his  name  enrolled  among  the  members  of  Synod.  But  if 
objection  be  made  to  his  reception,  at  the  opening  of 
Synod,  the  case  shall  go  over  until  after  the  Synod  is  or¬ 
ganized. 

Sec.  4.  Any  minister  resigning  his  charge  shall  give  due 
notice  thereof  to  the  President,  and  a  like  notice  shall  be 
given  by  any  minister  taking  charge  of  congregations  be¬ 
longing  to  Synods. 

Sec.  5.  A  licentiate  shall  have  power  to  perform  all 
ministerial  acts  during  the  time  specified  in  his  license. 

Sec.  6.  Licentiates  shall  have  the  same  rights  and  privi¬ 
leges  in  Synod  as  ordained  ministers,  except  to  hold  office. 

Sec.  7.  A  licentiate  shall  have  liberty  to  visit  vacant  con¬ 
gregations  and  to  take  charge  of  them,  either  on  their  in¬ 
vitation  or  by  direction  of  the  President  of  Synod. 

Sec.  8.  A  licentiate,  after  he  has  taken  a  charge,  shall 
not  leave  it,  without  the  sanction  of  the  Synod,  or  of  the 
President. 

Sec.  9.  No  church  in  this  Synod  shall  enact  anything 
in  the  form  of  Constitution  and  By-laws  in  conflict  with 
the  Constitution  of  Synod  or  Formula  of  Government. 

Lay  Delegates 

Sec.  10.  Each  lay  delegate,  entitled  to  a  seat  by  this  Con¬ 
stitution,  shall  have  equal  rights  with  the  ministers  in  all 
business  belonging  to  the  Synod;  that  is,  may  take  part  in 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


69 


the  debates,  offer  resolutions,  and  vote  on  all  Synodical 
questions. 

CHAPTER  XI 
Order  of  Business 

1.  The  President  shall  open  the  first  session  of  Synod 
with  appropriate  religious  services,  and  every  session  there¬ 
after  shall  be  opened  and  closed  with  prayer.  In  the  ab¬ 
sence  of  the  President,  the  Secretary  shall  conduct  the 
opening  exercises,  and  in  the  absence  of  both,  the  oldest 
acting  minister  present. 

2.  Calling  the  roll  of  ministers  and  licentiates  by  the 
Secretary,  and  noting  the  absentees. 

3.  Reception  of  lay  delegates,  who  shall  exhibit  their 
certificates  of  appointment  and  be  registered. 

4.  Applications  for  membership  from  other  Lutheran 
Synods  received.  If  objection  be  made  to  an  applicant,  the 
case  shall  be  deferred  until  after  Synod  is  fully  organized. 

5.  Reading  the  President’s  annual  report. 

6.  Election  of  officers  for  the  ensuing  year. 

7.  Delegates  from  other  Synods,  or  members  from  other 
bodies,  received. 

8.  Minutes  of  the  last  Synod  read  or  referred  to  a  com¬ 
mittee. 

9.  All  papers  intended  for  the  Synod  may  be  handed  in, 
and  verbal  notice  given  of  any  important  business  intended 
to  be  brought  before  Synod. 

10.  The  papers  may  be  taken  up  and  discussed,  or  re¬ 
ferred  to  appropriate  committees,  who  can  report  at  any 
time  when  ready.  Reports  of  special  and  standing  com¬ 
mittees  shall  have  preference. 

11.  Presentation  of  Parochial  Reports  according  to  the 
rules  of  Synod. 

12.  Treasurer’s  report. 


70 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


13.  Education  and  Missionary  business.  This  may  be  at¬ 
tended  to  by  Synod  as  a  whole,  or  committees  may  be 
charged  with  it,  who  shall  report  to  Synod. 

14.  Vacant  congregations  inquired  into,  and  provision 
made  for  them. 

15.  Promiscuous  business. 

16.  Election  of  delegates  to  General  Synod,  and  of 
trustees  or  directors  in  any  institution  in  which  Synod  is 
represented.  All  elections  shall  be  by  ballot. 

17.  Appointment  of  delegates  to  other  Synods,  or  other 
ecclesiastical  bodies. 

18.  Choice  of  time  and  place  of  meeting. 

19.  Adjournment  of  Synod  to  time  and  place  of  next 
meeting.  Synods  shall  be  closed  with  appropriate  religious 
exercises. 


CHAPTER  XII 

Process  Against  a  Minister 

Section  i.  As  the  honor  and  success  of  the  Gospel  de¬ 
pend  very  much  on  the  character  of  its  ministers,  Synod 
ought  to  guard  with  the  utmost  care  and  impartiality  the 
conduct  of  its  members. 

Sec.  2.  All  Christians  should  be  very  cautious  in  giving 
credit  or  circulation  to  an  evil  report  of  any  member  of 
the  church,  and  especially  of  a  minister  of  the  Gospel. 
If  any  member  knows  a  minister  to  be  guilty  of  a  private 
censurable  fault,  he  should  warn  him  in  private;  if  this 
prove  fruitless,  he  should  apply  to  the  Church  Council, 
who  shall  proceed  as  specified  in  Chap.  III.,  Sec.  5,  of  For¬ 
mula  of  Government. 

Sec.  3.  If  accusation  be  lodged  according  to  Chap.  III., 
Sec.  5,  with  the  President  within  two  months  of  the  next 
Synodical  meeting,  he  shall  defer  the  matter  to  said  meet- 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


71 


ing;  yet  if  the  charge  be  one  of  gross  immorality,  or  circu¬ 
lating  fundamental  error  in  doctrine,  he  shall  immediately 
direct  the  accused  to  suspend  all  his  ministerial  duties  until 
his  case  is  decided.  If  such  accusation  be  lodged  with  the 
President  at  an  earlier  date,  he  shall,  if  the  charge  be  one 
of  gross  immorality,  or  circulating  fundamental  error  in 
doctrine,  immediately  appoint  a  committee  of  five  ordained 
ministers  of  the  Synod,  to  meet  without  unnecessary  delay 
at  a  suitable  place,  and  institute  a  formal  investigation  of 
the  case,  according  to  the  principles  of  this  Formula.  The 
chairman  of  the  committee  shall  give  at  least  ten  days’ 
notice,  to  all  parties  concerned,  of  the  time  and  place  of 
meeting. 

Sec.  4.  If  the  Synod  is  divided  into  Conference  districts, 
the  President  may,  at  his  discretion,  intrust  the  matter  to 
Conference,  and  notify  the  members  to  meet  and  proceed 
as  above. 

Sec.  5.  Any  three  members  of  the  committee,  or  a 
majority  of  the  Conference  thus  meeting,  shall  have  power 
to  proceed  and  hold  a  fair  and  impartial  investigation  of 
the  case,  and  to  take  all  such  necessary  measures  as  may 
be  just  and  proper  to  determine  the  guilt  or  innocence  of 
the  accused. 

Sec.  6.  If  the  accused  confess,  and  the  matter  be  such  as 
gross  immorality,  or  circulating  fundamental  error,  he 
shall  be  immediately  suspended  from  the  exercise  of  the 
office  until  the  meeting  of  Synod. 

Sec.  7.  If  a  minister  accused  of  gross  offences,  being 
duly  notified,  refuse  to  attend  the  investigation,  he  shall 
be  immediately  suspended  from  office. 

Sec.  8.  If  the  accused  deny  the  charge,  and  yet,  on  ex¬ 
amination  of  the  evidence,  be  found  guilty,  the  committee 
or  Conference  shall  nevertheless  proceed  to  pass  sentence 
on  him. 


72 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


Sec.  9.  The  highest  punishment  which  can  be  inflicted 
by  a  committee  or  special  Conference,  appointed  as  above 
specified,  is  suspension  from  clerical  functions;  and  this 
sentence  is  to  be  reported  at  the  next  meeting  of  Synod, 
and  remain  in  force  until  reversed  by  the  Synod. 

Sec.  io.  Any  minister  intending  to  appeal  from  the  de¬ 
cision  of  a  committee  or  Conference,  shall  give  notice  of 
it  to  the  chairman  of  the  committee  or  Conference,  within 
three  weeks  of  the  time  when  the  decision  was  made,  that 
both  parties  may  be  prepared  for  a  new  trial. 

Sec.  ii.  Conferences,  not  specially  convened  for  the  pur¬ 
pose,  may  attend  to  any  charges  of  importance  against  a 
minister  within  their  bounds,  if  all  the  parties  concerned 
are  prepared  and  willing  to  proceed. 

Sec.  12.  If  at  any  time  the  accusation  be  lodged  with  the 
President,  according  to  Chap.  III.,  Sec.  5,  for  a  less  of¬ 
fence  than  those  specified  in  Sec.  3  of  this  Article,  he  shall 
take  no  other  steps  in  the  case  than  to  write  to  the  ac¬ 
cused  and  accusers,  exhorting  them  to  mutual  forbearance, 
and  referring  them  to  the  next  Synod. 

Sec.  13.  If  accusation  against  a  minister  be  made  imme¬ 
diately  to  the  Synod,  and  the  Synod  believe  itself  in  pos¬ 
session  of  all  the  evidence  necessary  to  a  just  decision,  the 
case  may  be  immediately  examined  and  sentence  passed, 
provided  the  accused  shall  have  had  fifteen  days’  notice, 
together  with  a  written  specification  of  the  charges  brought 
against  him ;  and  this  whether  he  shall  be  present  at  Synod 
or  not.  But  if  the  necessary  evidence  be  not  before  Synod, 
and  the  offence  be  such  as  specified  in  Sec.  3,  then  it  shall 
be  entrusted  to  a  committee  or  Conference,  to  proceed  as 
above  specified. 

Sec.  14.  If  a  minister  be  found  guilty  of  gross  im¬ 
morality  or  circulating  fundamental  error  in  doctrine,  his 
sentence  of  suspension  shall  not  be  removed  until  he  shall 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


73 


give  satisfactory  evidence  of  penitence  and  reformation, 
and  his  restoration  shall  be  by  the  same  judicatory  which 
suspended  him,  or  at  its  recommendation. 

Sec.  15.  If  the  common  report  of  a  minister’s  guilt  of 
any  of  the  charges  above  specified,  be  such  as  seriously 
to  injure  the  cause  of  religion,  and  his  own  church  do  not 
proceed  against  him,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  any  other 
minister  or  layman,  having  obtained  two  other  signatures 
of  credible  men,  to  report  the  case  to  the  President 

CHAPTER  XIII 
Vacant  Congregations 

Section  i.  Vacant  congregations  which  cannot  be  im¬ 
mediately  supplied  with  a  minister,  are  advised  to  assemble 
on  the  Lord’s  day,  to  elect  some  member  of  the  church, 
of  suitable  capacities  and  character,  to  conduct  the  exer¬ 
cises,  and  engage  in  the  worship  of  God,  as  recommended 
in  Chap.  VII.,  Sec.  1. 

Sec.  2.  It  is  also  recommended  that  at  these  meetings  a 
portion  of  the  Scriptures,  of  the  prayers  contained  in  the 
Liturgy,  and  of  some  selected  sermon,  such  as  are  ap¬ 
proved  by  the  President  of  the  Synod,  be  read. 

CHAPTER  XIV 
Conferences 

Section  i.  The  Synod  may  divide  itself  into  Confer¬ 
ence  districts  for  the  purpose  of  holding  Conference  meet¬ 
ings. 

Sec.  2.  The  chief  object  of  such  meetings  shall  be  the 
preaching  of  the  Word,  mutual  consultation  and  encour¬ 
agement  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  seeking  in  every 
proper  way  to  advance  the  interest  of  religion  among  the 
churches. 


74 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


Sec.  3.  Conferences  may  attend  to  any  business  referred 
to  them  by  Synod  or  by  congregations,  which  does  not 
specially  belong  to  Synod  itself. 

Sec.  4.  The  records  of  the  proceedings  of  Conferences 
shall  be  submitted  to  Synod  for  examination  and  review. 


CHAPTER  XV 
Ministerium 

Section  i.  The  Ministerium  is  composed  of  the  or¬ 
dained  ministers  of  Synod,  and  shall  have  charge  of  the 
examination  of  candidates,  licensure  and  ordination  of 
ministers,  reception  of  ministers  from  other  ecclesiastical 
bodies,  and  the  examination  and  decision  of  charges  of 
heresy  against  any  of  its  own  members. 

Sec.  2.  The  officers  of  Synod  shall  be  officers  of  the 
Ministerium,  and  shall  attend  to  the  duties  of  such  offices. 

Sec.  3.  A  meeting  of  the  Ministerium  may  be  called  at 
any  time  during  the  convention  of  Synod,  by  the  President, 
and  he  shall  call  one  when  requested  by  three  members. 

Sec.  4.  A  special  meeting  of  the  Ministerium  may  be 
called  by  the  President  when  requested  in  writing  by  one- 
third  of  the  ordained  ministers  of  Synod,  stating  the  ob¬ 
ject  of  the  meeting.  Of  such  meeting  notice  must  be  given, 
by  circular  or  letter,  fifteen  days  previous. 

Sec.  5.  The  examination  of  candidates  for  licensure  may 
be  conducted  before  the  whole  Ministerium,  or  in  private 
by  a  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose,  as  the  Ministe¬ 
rium  may  decide. 

Sec.  6.  The  examination  shall  embrace,  at  least,  the 
following  subjects,  viz.:  Personal  piety  and  motives  for 
seeking  the  office  of  the  ministry,  the  original  languages 
(Hebrew  and  Greek)  of  the  inspired  Scriptures,  Theology, 


FORMULA  OF  GOVERNMENT 


75 


Church  History,  Pastoral  Theology,  Homiletics  and  Church 
Government. 

Sec.  7.  In  all  cases  of  licensure  or  ordination,  a  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  the  members  present  shall  be  necessary;  and 
the  same  shall  be  required  for  the  reception  of  a  minister 
applying  for  admission  from  another  denomination,  after 
having  undergone  such  examination  as  may  be  deemed 
necessary  by  the  Ministerium,  or  in  such  Synod  where  the 
Ministerium  does  not  exist,  by  the  Synod. 

Sec.  8.  The  ceremony  of  Licensure  and  Ordination  shall 
be  performed  according  to  the  forms  prescribed  in  the 
Liturgy  of  the  General  Synod,  and  the  ordination  may  be 
either  at  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  assembled  Minis¬ 
terium,  or  in  the  church  to  which  the  individual  is  called, 
by  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Ministerium  for  the  pur¬ 
pose. 

Sec.  9.  All  licenses  shall  extend  to  the  time  of  the  next 
annual  meeting  of  the  Ministerium,  and  shall  be  renewed 
as  a  matter  of  course,  unless  satisfactory  reasons  are 
known  to  the  Ministerium,  which  render  a  renewal  inex¬ 
pedient.  And  if  for  any  reason  no  meeting  be  held  at  the 
appointed  time,  the  licenses  granted  by  said  Ministerium 
shall  remain  in  force  until  revoked. 

Sec.  10.  Licentiates  shall  keep  a  journal  of  their  minis¬ 
terial  acts,  which,  with  a  few  sermons  of  their  own  com¬ 
position,  shall  be  submitted  to  the  Ministerium  for  inspec¬ 
tion. 

Sec.  11.  The  following  shall  be  the  order  of  business  in 
the  Ministerium: 

1.  Opening  with  prayer,  or  prayer  with  other  suitable 
religious  exercises. 

2.  Calling  of  the  roll. 

3.  Communication  by  the  President  of  any  business 
which  he  may  have  to  report. 


76 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE 


4.  Presentation  of  the  licenses,  journals,  and  sermons 
of  the  licentiates. 

5.  Application  of  candidates  for  examination,  if  not  al¬ 
ready  examined  by  a  committee ;  and  also  the  application 
for  the  reception  of  ministers  from  other  denominations. 

6.  Hearing  of  reports  from  the  examining  committee, 
or  from  committees  on  journals  and  sermons  of  licentiates, 
or  from  any  other  committee  appointed  by  the  Ministe- 
rium. 

7.  Promiscuous  business  relating  to  the  ministry. 

8.  Adjournment  with  suitable  religious  exercises. 

Sec.  1 2.  All  business  not  specifically  intrusted  in  this 
Formula  to  the  Ministerium  shall  belong  to  the  Synod. 

Sec.  13.  In  the  installation  of  a  pastor,  the  ceremony 
of  installation  shall  take  place  in  the  church  to  which  he  is 
called,  and  shall  be  conducted  according  to  the  form  pre¬ 
scribed  in  the  Liturgy  of  the  General  Synod. 

Sec.  14.  In  all  cases  where  District  Synods  have  not 
made  provision  for  a  Ministerium,  all  the  powers  and 
duties  prescribed  in  this  article  shall  devolve  on  the  Synod. 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  GENERAL 

SYNOD 

Adopted  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  in  1869,  and  Amended 
at  Atchison,  Kan.,  1913 

PREAMBLE 

Jesus  Christ,  the  Supreme  Head  of  His  Church,  having 
prescribed  no  entire  specific  directory  for  its  government 
and  discipline,  and  every  section  of  His  Church  being  left 


GENERAL  SYNOD 


77 


at  liberty  to  make  such  regulations,  additional  to  those 
found  in  the  Scriptures,  as  are  in  harmony  with  the  word 
of  God,  and  best  adapted  to  its  situation  and  circum¬ 
stances  ;  therefore,  relying  upon  God  our  Father,  in  the 
name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  under  the  guidance  and 
direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  word  of  God,  for  the 
promotion  of  the  practice  of  brotherly  love,  to  the  further¬ 
ance  of  Christian  concord,  to  the  firm  establishment  and 
continuance  of  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace, 
and  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  grand  design  for  which 
the  Church  of  Christ  was  established  on  earth, — We,  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Synods  connected  with  the  General 
Synod,  for  ourselves  and  our  successors,  do  adopt  the  fol¬ 
lowing 


CONSTITUTION 

Article  I 
name 

The  name,  style,  and  title  of  this  body  shall  be,  “The 
General  Synod  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church 
in  the  United  States  of  America." 

Article  II 
doctrinal  basis 

With  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  the  Fathers, 
the  General  Synod  receives  and  holds  the  Canonical  Script¬ 
ures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  the  Word  of  God 
and  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice;  and  it 
receives  and  holds  the  Unaltered  Augsburg  Confession  as 
a  correct  exhibition  of  the  faith  and  doctrine  of  our 
Church  as  founded  upon  the  Word. 


78 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE 


Article  III 

THE  SECONDARY  SYMBOLS 

While  the  General  Synod  regards  the  Augsburg  Con¬ 
fession  as  a  sufficient  and  altogether  adequate  doctrinal 
basis  for  the  co-operation  of  Lutheran  Synods,  it  also 
recognizes  the  Apology  of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  the 
Smalkald  Articles,  the  Small  Catechism  of  Luther,  the 
Large  Catechism  of  Luther,  and  the  Formula  of  Concord 
as  expositions  of  Lutheran  doctrine  of  great  historical 
and  interpretative  value,  and  especially  commends  the  Small 
Catechism  as  a  book  of  instruction. 

Article  IV 

DELEGATES  AND  SYNODS 

Section  i.  The  General  Synod  shall  consist  of  the  Cler¬ 
ical  and  Lay  Delegates  from  the  several  District  Synods  of 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  in  the  United  States 
which  are  now  connected  with  it,  or  may  hereafter  join 
themselves  thereunto,  and  who  shall  be  duly  acknowledged 
as  members  thereof,  in  the  following  ratio,  namely: 

Each  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod  may  send  one  dele¬ 
gate  for  every  ten  ministers  it  contains,  and  for  a  remaining 
major  fraction  of  that  number,  of  the  rank  of  an  ordained 
minister,  and  an  equal  number  of  laymen.  Each  Synod  at 
present  connected  with  this  body  shall  be  entitled  to  at 
least  one  clerical  and  one  lay  delegate. 

Sec.  2.  Each  delegate  appearing  in  the  General  Synod 
according  to  this  ratio  shall  enjoy  equal  rights  and  priv¬ 
ileges  in  the  transaction  of  its  business.  Each  Synod  may 
choose  its  delegates  in  such  a  manner  as  to  it  may  seem 
proper,  and  shall  pay  the  traveling  expenses  of  the  same  to 
and  from  the  General  Synod,  unless  the  General  Synod 
shall  otherwise  provide. 


GENERAL  SYNOD 


79 


Sec.  3.  Any  properly  organized  Lutheran  Synod  may  be 
received  into  the  General  Synod  at  any  meeting,  provided 
it  shall  have  adopted  this  Constitution  with  its  Doctrinal 
Basis  as  set  forth  in  Article  II. 

Sec*.  4.  Should  the  delegates  of  any  District  Synod  with¬ 
draw  from  the  sessions  of  the  General  Synod  without  the 
consent  of  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  body,  and 
such  withdrawal  be  sanctioned  by  their  Synod ;  or  should 
any  Synod,  without  being  excused  by  the  General  Synod, 
decline  sending  delegates,  such  Synod  shall  be  considered 
as  having  severed  its  connection  with  the  General  Synod, 
and  its  delegates  can  only  be  again  received  as  those  of  a 
newly-applying  Synod. 

ArticeE  V 

OFFICERS 

Section  i.  The  delegates  to  the  General  Synod  shall,  at 
each  meeting,  choose  by  ballot,  from  among  their  number, 
a  President  and  Secretary;  and  from  among  their  own 
number  or  elsewhere,  a  Treasurer.  These  officers  shall 
continue  in  office  until  the  next  meeting  of  the  Synod,  and 
until  others  are  chosen  in  their  stead.  The  same  person 
is  at  all  times  re-eligible  as  Secretary  or  Treasurer;  but 
no  one  may  be  elected  President  except  an  ordained  min¬ 
ister,  nor  more  than  twice  in  succession. 

Sec.  2.  The  President  shall  act  as  chairman  of  the 
Synod,  and  may  take  part  in  the  discussions  and  vote  as 
any  other  member,  but  shall  not  originate  motions.  He 
shall  subscribe  all  letters,  written  advices,  resolutions,  and 
proceedings  of  the  Synod.  In  extraordinary  cases,  and  by 
request  of  any  one  or  more  of  the  acknowledged  Synods, 
or  by  a  respectable  number  of  the  ministers  or  churches 
connected  with  the  General  Synod,  he  may  convene  the 
delegates  of  the  General  Synod  in  special  session.  In  case 


80 


CONSTITUTION  OF  TIIE 


the  business  of  the  Secretary  becomes  too  burdensome  for 
one  person  to  execute,  he  shall,  with  the  concurrence  of  the 
Secretary,  appoint  an  Assistant  Secretary,  and  make 
known  to  him  what  portion  of  labor  he  is  to  undertake. 

Sec.  3.  The  Secretary  shall  keep  a  journal  of  the  pro¬ 
ceedings,  write,  attest,  and  take  care  of  all  the  documents 
and  writings,  publish  the  time  and  place  of  the  meeting  of 
the  Synod  in  the  papers  of  the  Church,  at  least  two  months 
beforehand,  and,  in  case  of  a  special  meeting,  he  shall  give 
written  notice  thereof  to  the  President  of  each  of  the  Dis¬ 
trict  Synods  immediately  upon  the  issue  of  the  call  for 
such  special  meeting. 

Sec.  4.  The  Treasurer  shall  receive  and  disburse  all 
moneys  of  the  Synod,  and  shall  keep  a  faithful  account  of 
the  same,  which  must  be  submitted  at  each  meeting  of  the 
General  Synod.  At  its  pleasure  he  may  also  be  required 
to  give  bond  and  security  for  the  faithful  performance  of 
his  trust.  He  shall  put  out  moneys  only  in  pursuance  of 
a  resolution  of  Synod,  or  upon  an  order  of  the  President, 
attested  by  the  Secretary. 

Sec.  5.  Should  any  officer  of  the  Synod,  in  the  interme¬ 
diate  time  of  the  assembling  of  the  body,  depart  this  life, 
resign  his  office,  or  become  incapable  of  executing  the 
same,  then  the  remaining  officers  shall  appoint  some  capa¬ 
ble  and  faithful  man  in  his  place  until  the  next  meeting  of 
the  General  Synod. 


ArTiceE  VI 

POWERS 

The  General  Synod,  as  the  highest  Ecclesiastical  Coun¬ 
cil  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Churches  connected  with 
it  through  their  District  Synods,  shall  have  the  control  of 
all  those  interests  of  the  Church  which  are  of  a  general 


GENERAL  SYNOD  81 

chaiacter.  The  powers  more  specifically  entrusted  to  the 
General  Synod  are  chiefly  the  following: 

Section  i.  The  General  Synod,  shall  examine  the  pro¬ 
ceedings  of  the  District  Synods  belonging  to  it,  in  order 
that  it  may  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  existing  state  of 
the  Church ;  and  it  may  publish  the  statistics  of  the  Church 
and  reports  on  the  state  of  religion,  with  such  plans  and 
recommendations  for  the  promotion  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  at  home  and  abroad,  as  it  may  deem  proper.  The 
District  Synods  shall,  therefore,  transmit  to  it,  regularly, 
several  copies  of  the  proceedings  of  their  annual  conven¬ 
tions. 

Sec.  2.  The  General  Synod  shall  be  charged  with  the 
duty  of  providing  the  books  or  writings  to  be  used  in  the 
public  worship  of  the  Church,  and  in  the  catechetical  in¬ 
struction  of  the  young,  such  as  Liturgies,  Hymn-books,  and 
Catechisms ;  and  no  District  Synod  shall,  without  the  sanc¬ 
tion  of  the  General  Synod,  publish  or  recommend  books 
of  this  kind,  other  than  those  furnished  by  the  General 
Synod. 

Sec.  3.  The  General  Synod,  as  the  representative  body 
of  all  of  the  Synods  connected  therewith,  shall  make  pro¬ 
vision  for  the  general  missionary  and  benevolent  opera¬ 
tions  of  the  Church,  such  as  Home  and  Foreign  Missions, 
Church  Extension,  providing  a  church  literature,  founding 
and  maintaining  institutions  for  the  support  of  poor  and 
disabled  ministers  and  their  widows  and  orphans,  and 
other  general  benevolent  and  charitable  institutions.  It 
shall  use  all  its  power  and  means  to  unite,  foster,  and  make 
efficient  these  operations  of  the  Church. 

Sec.  4.  To  accomplish  these  ends,  the  General  Synod 
shall,  whenever  deemed  practical  and  expedient,  create  and 
perpetuate  such  Boards  of  Managers  as  it  may  consider 
necessary  efficiently  to  carry  forward  these  operations  of 


82 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE 


the  Church,  and  to  determine  the  number  of  members  of 
each,  and  the  time  of  their  continuance  in  office,  and  to 
assign  to  each  Board  its  appropriate  work  and  duties.  These 
Boards  shall  always  be  subject  to  and  under  the  control  of 
the  General  Synod. 

Sec.  5.  Each  Board  thus  created,  acting  under  the  con¬ 
trol  and  by  the  authority  of  the  General  Synod,  shall  make 
the  regulations  necessary  for  the  management  of  its  own 
affairs,  shall  appoint  its  own  officers,  shall  keep  full  and 
correct  minutes  of  its  proceedings,  and  shall  make  report 
of  the  same  at  each  meeting  of  the  General  Synod.  For 
the  greater  security  of  the  funds  and  property  which  may 
at  any  time  be  entrusted  to  these  Boards,  any  one  or  all  of 
them  shall,  at  the  request  of  the  General  Synod,  obtain  acts 
of  incorporation,  and  the  Treasurers  of  the  same  shall 
give  suitable  bonds  for  the  faithful  performance  of  their 
duties. 

Sec.  6.  The  General  Synod  may  also  institute  and  create 
a  treasury  for  the  efficient  advancement  of  its  purposes. 

Sec.  7.  The  General  Synod  shall  also  advise  the  adop¬ 
tion  of  such  rules  and  regulations  among  the  several 
Synods  as  may  prevent  unpleasant  and  unfriendly  collisions 
that  might  otherwise  arise  out  of  any  difference  of  opinion 
existing  among  them,  or  from  any  other  causes ;  and  it 
shall  apply  all  its  powers,  prayers,  and  means  for  the  pre¬ 
vention  of  schisms  among  us ;  it  shall  be  sedulously  and  in¬ 
cessantly  regardful  of  the  circumstances  of  the  times,  and 
of  every  casual  rise  and  progress  of  unity  of  sentiment, 
among  Christians  in  general,  in  order  that  the  blessed 
opportunities  to  promote  concord  and  unity,  and  the  inter¬ 
ests  of  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom,  may  not  pass  by  neglected 
and  unavailing. 

Sec.  8.  The  General  Synod  may  give  advice  or  opinion, 
when  complaints  shall  be  brought  before  them  by  whole 


GENERAL  SYNOD 


83 


Synods,  Ministeriums,  Congregations,  or  individual  min¬ 
isters  or  laymen,  concerning  doctrine  or  discipline.  They 
shall,  however,  be  extremely  careful  that  the  consciences 
of  ministers  of  the  Gospel  be  not  burdened  with  human 
inventions,  laws,  or  devices,  and  that  no  one  be  oppressed 
by  reason  of  difference  of  opinion  on  non-fundamental 
doctrines. 

Sec.  9.  If  differences  of  Synods  be  referred,  the  votes 
thereon  shall  be  taken  by  Synods,  and  the  referring  Synod 
shall  have  no  vote. 


ARTICLE  VII 

ORDER  OF  BUSINESS.  QUORUM.  MEETINGS 

The  order  of  business  shall  be  regulated  by  the  By-Laws 
and  Standing  Rules,  except  as  follows : 

Section  i.  A  majority  of  the  delegates  from  a  majority 
of  the  Synods  attached  to  the  General  Synod  appearing 
with  proper  credentials  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the 
transaction  of  business. 

Sec.  2.  The  General  Synod  shall  appoint,  by  ballot,  the 
time  and  place  of  the  next  Convention;  observing  at  all 
times,  however,  that  one  meeting,  at  least,  be  held  every 
two  years. 

ARTICLE  VIII 

BY-EAWS.  AMENDMENTS 

Section  i.  The  General  Synod  may  make  whatever  By- 
Laws  it  may  deem  necessary,  provided  only  that  they  do 
not  contradict  the  spirit  of  this  Constitution. 

Sec.  2.  No  alteration  of  this  Constitution  shall  be  made, 
except  by  the  consent  of  two-thirds  of  the  Synods  attached 
to  the  General  Synod.  An  exact  copy  of  the  intended 


84  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  GENERAL  SYNOD 


alterations  must  be  sent  by  the  Secretary  to  the  Presidents 
of  District  Synods  in  connection  with  this  body,  with  the 
request  that  they  submit  them  to  their  respective  Synods 
for  decision.  And  if,  at  the  subsequent  meeting  of  the 
General  Synod,  it  shall  appear  from  their  minutes  that  two- 
thirds  of  the  District  Synods  are  in  favor  of  the  altera¬ 
tions,  they  shall  be  declared  adopted. 


